Fictionista Wrkshp August to October 2010 Prompts
by Rochelle Allison
Summary: A continuation of stories using Fictionista Workshop's daily prompts. If any of these confuse you, I suggest reading the "Daily Prompts" or "January's Prompts" and "May - July" first.
1. Chapter 1

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Sessions"**_

_prompt - gushy_

* * *

_*** if this is your first time reading my FW prompts, you might want to back it up and read Daily Prompts, January Prompts, and May-July Prompts first for continuity's sake.**_

_**otherwise you'll land right in the middle of the story(ies) and be confused.**_

* * *

Time passed fast. Too soon, too fast.

Our idyllic existence of sun and sand and salt and sweat drew to a close as the last day faded into the last night.

We enjoyed dinner with Carlisle in the most romantic restaurant the hotel had to offer. Knowing we'd be going with his father the night before leaving, Edward and I had gone on our own as well. We wanted the experience, the dreamy perfection, the fantasy. Humuhumu was built in such a way that it looked like it was floating over the lagoon.

Carlisle didn't know we'd already eaten there. We let him think he introduced it to us, not wanting to ruin his fun. And fun it was - and delicious. I ordered completely different things than I had the night before, going for as unique an experience as possible.

Toward the end of the meal, right as dessert was being brought out, Carlisle took a phone call. He excused himself and slipped away, leaving Edward and me alone for a moment. I watched Edward sip at his drink, still not used to the gushy feelings swirling inside of me all the time.

I'd been completely blindsided by the intensity of our new relationship.

I'd had crazy crushes and I'd had good, even great, relationships. But never had I experienced this. I remembered my mother explaining love to me, saying that when I found the One, I'd "just know". It had sounded like such a pithy little platitude at the time but now I could see how accurate it was.

It wasn't just the sex, although that was beautiful. It was _everything._ The way he looked at me when he woke up, or how reverently he held me when he kissed me. How we connected when he played songs for me. The amount of time we spent in laughter. The only other people I enjoyed spending this much time with were Alice and Rose, and this had the added benefit of sexual satisfaction.

"Thinking about going home?" he asked, his eyes sliding over to me.

"Not really." I shook my head and took a sip of wine. "Thinking about how awesome this trip has been. And how well we… get along."

He arched an eyebrow. "We get along pretty well, don't we?"

I smiled, taking his hand across the table. "When I think about the first time I saw you…"

"- you were sitting on Embry's lap," he interrupted, an impish grin flashing across his face.

"Ugh, don't remind me. And Jess was on yours. Anyway, stop it." I smacked his hand, frowning. "The first time I saw you I had no idea I'd end up feeling this way. And I definitely didn't think you'd feel the same."

He nodded, threading our fingers together.

"I guess I just feel really lucky." I finished quietly. A little overcome, I shifted my gaze to the water, smooth as glass and lit up from the just-set sun.

"Me too," Edward said. "I have a feeling this kind of thing doesn't happen to everyone, not always, and not this early on."

We ate banana crème brulee and made moony eyes at each other until his father came back.

* * *

Leaving our suite the next morning was emotional.

On one hand, I was actually looking forward to going home. I missed my mom, my bed, Al and Rose. I missed our beaches, cold and rough as they were. It was home.

But on the other hand, I was sad that we were leaving our love nest. We'd been floating in this perfect bubble and now we were venturing back into the real world. I trusted that our relationship was deeper than romantic dinners and breathtaking panoramas, but being together in the daily grind of back home was going to be a far cry than being together in paradise.

No matter. We had to go.

We'd been up most the night anyway, fooling around. It wasn't like we hadn't made good use of the room and its luxurious bed.

I took one last wistful glance before Edward shut the door. I hoped we'd come back one day, although there was really only one set of circumstances that might make that happen.

And it was a bit early in the relationship to be thinking of that.

* * *

Edward slept a lot longer in flight than I did. I had a rough time getting comfortable enough on planes to sleep well, even in first class. I dozed on and off until finally I got a book from my bag and started reading.

Approximately five and a half hours later we began our descent into Washington. Edward had woken up a little while before, exceptionally chatty. I was glad at least one of us was rested.

We chatted most of the way home, stopping quickly at McDonalds to grab a late lunch before continuing. By the time we made it to my house I was desperate for a shower and a change.

"I'll call you later," Edward promised, kissing me at the front door. He waited until I was inside and then walked back down the steps and into the car.

All of the emotions of the day, and the whole week, came crashing down.

I called my mother at work to let her know we'd landed and that I was back at the house. I took a long shower and then threw on a sundress I'd bought in Hawaii.

After dinner, my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey baby. It's me."

"Hey!" Warmth flooded through me. "What are you up to?"

"Going to bed – I wanted to say goodnight."

"Oh," I said, vaguely disappointed even though I too was on the verge of falling asleep. "Okay…good night."

"Good night, Bella. And open the door."

I nearly tripped in my haste.

"What are you doing here?" I gasped.

"Can't sleep alone," he said, shrugging. "Either you come with me or I'm staying in your bed tonight."


	2. Piercing

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Sessions"**_

_prompt - piercing_

* * *

I sagged against the doorway in relief.

Relief of a tension I hadn't even recognized – not consciously, and not until Edward showed up on my doorstep.

"Okay. Do you… want to stay here?" I asked, shifting from one foot to the other.

Suddenly I was thirteen again, asking the boy I liked if this seat was taken.

"I could stay here," he said, smiling in the way he did, equal parts smirky and sincere.

"Okay."

We stood in the open door a beat too long, grinning and goofy, before I stepped aside to let him in.

Edward had been inside my house a couple of times but he'd never been in my room. I was at the age where moving out was so very appealing but I just hadn't gotten to that point yet financially. I had a good thing going with my mother in that we got along well and she didn't mind me staying until I graduated from college.

But times like tonight I sort of wished I had my own place. Or at least something parent-less.

We walked silently through the house. I turned lamps and lights off as I passed them, making sure the house was put to sleep before I disappeared inside my room.

"What time does your mom go to work?" Edward asked, placing his shoes neatly beside my bedroom door as I locked it.

"She's usually up by six thirty."

"I'll be gone by quarter til."

"Quarter til six?" I shuddered. "That's so early."

He shrugged, getting into my bed. "It's fine."

After brushing my teeth, I joined him in bed.

"Leave the lamp on," he said softly, pulling me close.

"What, you afraid of the dark?" I teased, leaning up to kiss his neck.

"I like looking around your room," he explained. "It's Bella concentrate."

"Mhm. Well, it should be. We've lived here since I was a kid, right after my parents split up. I love it but I'm starting to feel the itch, you know?"

"What, to move?"

"Yeah."

"Why don't you?" he asked.

"I will eventually… once I get my act together a little more. I feel like if I can just get through school, I'll be able to focus on other things."

"That's another two years, though. You can't live your life on pause." He thumbed my chin until I looked up at him.

"I know."

His eyes drifted down to my mouth. I twisted out of his arms and got onto his lap, missing and craving his nearness. Our mouths came together and we kissed, slow, meandering kisses that wandered from deep to sweet.

"I'm so happy you're here," I sighed, pressing out foreheads together.

"I couldn't stay away. I got into bed and turned off the light but the same bed I've been sleeping in for years feels empty and strange now."

He was so calm and matter of fact about it but what he was saying was reason for rejoicing. His words went piercing through my jet-lag, fiery little arrows shot by cupid himself, I swore it.

"What should we do about it?"

He put me on my back and leaned over me, squeezing my breast over my pajamas as he nipped at my neck. "Get a place."

"So soon," I said mindlessly, grasping his hair as he shoved my shirt up and sucked at my nipple.

"Nothing about us is typical, Bella," he said roughly, unbuttoning my top. "I want you; I want to be with you. I don't like knowing what it's like to wake up next to you only to also know I can't have it anymore."

I let myself get lost in him, knowing he was getting lost in me.

* * *

In the early gray light, morning's answer to dusk, Edward's phone alarm went off, signaling that it was time for him to make his escape.

I rolled on to my side, watching as he sat on the side of the bed and buttoned his shirt.

"Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day," I recited, reaching for him.

He looked over his shoulder at me, giving me his crooked smile.

"Oh, it's day alright. Gotta go before your mother finds me in here."

"I'm too old for this crap," I pouted. Gathering the sheet around me, I sat up and scooted over to him, resting my chin on his shoulder.

He held up his hands. "Hey now, I told you what I thought we should do. But it's up to you, Bella."

"I know," I said, racking my brain. I was still over tired, and it was difficult to think. As much as I liked the notion of living with Edward, something was missing.

"Anyway, we don't have to decide this very second." He stood and then bent right back down, catching my face between his palms. He kissed me several times, light little pecks on my cheeks and lips.

I stroked my fingers through his hair, letting the sheet fall to my waist.

"Bella," he groaned, falling to his knees. He pressed his face to my naked breasts. "Why are you naked?" His voice was muffled by my skin.

"You could be naked too," I said, kissing the top of his head.

"No, I can't…"

"Okay," I said, pushing him gently away. "Go, before she gets up. Call me."

"I will," he promised, easing me back so that I was laying flat. He brought the sheet up to my chin, tucking me in. "Miss me."

"Shush, of course I'll miss you," I whispered.

We gazed at each other. The lightness of the moment evaporated, dew in the sun.

"Love you," he said hesitantly.

That was it; what had been missing.

My adoration of him hit its highest note, making me ache.

"I love you," I said, nodding slowly.

He closed his eyes and opened them, and ran his hands through his hair. "Wow."

I chewed my fingernail, my heart thudding at what we'd just said.

* * *

Romeo & Juliet, Act 3, Scene V


	3. Furrier

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_Storyline - **"Air"**_

_Prompt - furrier_

* * *

We fell into a rhythm, a way if being.

Isn't it always that way, though? Any relationship that lasts past a couple weeks has to establish its own way of being somehow.

We watched movies late at night a lot. Sometimes smoked and drove to Walgreens for candy late at night.

Lots of late at night.

We napped together a lot.

Well, that's a lie; he napped and I read. I was too hyper to sleep any time that wasn't night.

We went out to eat a lot. He didn't cook and I didn't really know how. Rose had taken to teaching me at home; she was one of those people with an instinctive knack for knowing what tasted good with what. She experimented and won. I attempted and failed. But she was patient with me.

Still, I wasn't confident trying to make anything Edward would actually have to consume so he and I just went out. He wasn't filthy rich but he had plenty of money. He was practical, rational, and logical, and all of those stodgy words that meant he was good with numbers and finances.

It helped he'd also been out of school for awhile, and had paid off his student loans.

So he had plenty while I was struggling through school, holding down a full time job at the same time.

"You pay your dues. I'll pay for dinner," he said.

And that was fine.

I liked the way he took care of me.

It wasn't typical gentlemanly type stuff.

He didn't open my door for me or pull out my chair. Sometimes he was still late, even though he'd gotten better. His bed was chronically unmade from sleeping and sex. There were blueprints and contracts covering the coffee table and multiple projects he had going in every corner. And tools, everywhere.

He wasn't clean cut and GQ.

But he got me. In the silences and the conversations, in the presence and the absence, he got me.

When I told him I'd finished reading a book I loved he'd gone out and found the sequel. Without fanfare. I found it in my messenger bag later the next day.

When we walked down the sidewalk he kept me on the inside, putting himself between me and the road. The only other guy ever to do that was my dad.

* * *

"Take a bath with me," he said, pulling himself up from the couch.

I almost didn't hear him, between the Isley Brothers album he had going and the latest National Geographic I'd found by his bed. Unable to resist the article on baby snow leopards, I'd curled up beside Edward and gorged myself on cuteness. The furrier, the better.

"Bella."

Sticking my finger into the magazine so I wouldn't lose my place, I looked up.

"Come take a bath."

"Oh." Forget baby snow leopards.

I followed him into his bathroom which, of course, was midway through remodeling.

He'd already started filling the tub with hot water. I shed my clothing, thankful for the steam misting out of the tub and how it helped lessen the chill in the air.

I heard Footsteps in the Dark start up again.

Edward joined me, his shirt gone.

"I like your scruff," I said, pressing my naked body against his partially clothed one.

"Yeah?" He smoothed his hand over my butt, cupping it before letting go.

"Yeah."

"I'll leave it then."

"Good."

He smiled a little and undid his jeans, letting them pool at his feet before stepping out of them. The only light came from the bedroom, and because I knew Edward and his quirky ways, I didn't bother asking for more.

He got in first. I climbed in after, careful to give him space so he could actually bathe.

Sexy, yes.

But practical. He had grease all over his arms from working on his truck earlier, and paint speckled his skin. I turned in the tub so I was facing him and grabbed another bar of soap so I could get clean too.

I imagined he would've been one of those Wild West types, rugged and strong and quiet. Rowdy in the sack. I could see him on a horse.

"What're you smiling about?" His voice floated across the water.

"You as a cowboy."

"I could live on the frontier, easily."

"I know you could," I said, smug on the inside because I'd thought as much.

"You could be my cowgirl. Assless chaps and all."

I laughed, thoroughly amused at the thought, and splashed him. "I could ride you."

"You can ride me now."

My smile dimmed, crowded by lustiness. "I could."

He yanked me over by the leg and turned me around so my back was to his chest, pulled me against him so we were both reclining back. I closed my eyes, breathing him in, loving how our skin felt slick and supple.

* * *

I startled, realizing we'd been dozing.

Edward's somnolence was contagious.

The water wasn't as hot as it had been and I shivered involuntarily.

"Edward." I detached myself and stood. "Edward, come on."

His eyes opened slowly like they always did. He gazed up at me, his arms draped loosely over the sides of the tub.

_Oh._

I got out of the tub and grabbed a towel. I liked how he watched me.

"I want you," I said simply, getting his towel off the rack. "I don't care if you're tired."

"I want you too, cowgirl." He smirked as he got up and it took all of my will power not to drop to my knees and put him in my mouth.

Instead, I tossed him his towel and hung mine up.

My skin was wrinkly from having been in the bath for so long. I got onto the bed, thankful he'd finally fixed the heater.

He'd barely dried off.

Without another word he got between my legs and kissed me where he'd take me. I held his head between my hands and succumbed to how good it felt, how good he felt. I threw a pillow over my face when I came, wanting to muffle the sound of my orgasm. It was really hard for me to keep quiet and sometimes I didn't feel like wondering if the neighbors could hear Edward taking care of his girl.

He moved so that he was cradled between my thighs and snatched the pillow, sending it across the bed. He yanked away the one under my head too, preferring when I was flat.

"You feel good," he said as he loved me, and that was rare. He rarely, if ever, spoke during sex.

"You too," I said, spreading my hands over the expanse of his back.

He smiled, and caught my lip in his teeth, and kissed me, and I held him tight and kissed him back, kissed him and tongued him and kissed him some more, even when and especially when he came, the forces of his thrusts bringing my bottom off the bed.

"You okay?" he asked at the end, collapsing on top me.

I clung to him, reminding myself of the baby snow leopards riding their mother's backs during playtime.

"You make me okay," I purred, earning a quiet laugh from him.

"Good."

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" I asked, running my tongue against the outside of his ear.

He shook his head away from my mouth, squeezing my hip as he got up.

"Just making sure."

"I'd tell you if I didn't like what you were doing," I said when he returned from the bathroom.

He nodded, lying next to me. "I'm glad. You used to be afraid."

"You intimidated me," I admitted.

"Why?"

"I don't know, you just did."

"I'd never hurt you."

"I know." I glanced at him, loving him in secret.


	4. Slippery

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_prompt - slippery_

* * *

_today's chapter is dedicated to swimom7. she had to put her beloved kitty Googie down today. :( love you, bb._

* * *

Normally, I loved snow.

Coming from a place that was hot and dry, snow was novel and exciting, magical and pretty. While my roommates complained about the draftiness of our dorm and having to scrape ice from their windshields I was usually stationed at the window, gazing at the sparkly white.

Being on crutches had, however, put a damper on things.

I'd sprained my ankle during Christmas break. Sprained it bad – I had to wear a brace and hobble around on crutches for the next month or so. It was bad enough that showering and using the bathroom were now nuisances, but in addition my work study position had been given to someone else until I was able to walk. I'd been delivering TVs to classrooms. Now I was stuck looking for something I could do while sitting.

The whole thing was just a big frigging mess.

The cab that had picked me up from the train station came to a stop at Hofstra University.

"Want me to help you inside?" My driver asked, eyeing me in the mirror.

I felt my face warm; I was really low on funds. "I-uh… that's okay. I'll manage."

He huffed, rolling his eyes. "I'm not going to charge you, miss. Come on."

* * *

My room was still freezing cold, even with the heater on full blast.

Sighing, I eased back on my bed, trying to ignore the loneliness I felt. Because none of us had thought to coordinate our return dates, I'd come back to school a full four days before anyone else. Heidi, Jane and Alice were all still in their respective hometowns.

A lump formed in my throat and I just knew I was going to cry. This was the pits.

I had no car, no one to talk to, and hardly any food in the mini-fridge.

And I was frigging disabled. Time to get this pity party started.

I picked up my phone to call Rose, a friend I'd made who actually lived nearby, but it went straight to voicemail.

Suddenly my phone rang, its shrill cry startling me.

"Hello?"

"Bella? Oh man, I'm so glad I caught you!"

"Alice?"

The connection was spotty; it was difficult to hear.

"Yeah, it's Alice. Listen, are you back yet?"

"Yeah, I'm back." And it sucks, I wanted to add.

"Are you doing anything yet?"

"What? No. No, I… actually I sprained my ankle back in Phoenix, so I'm kind of stuck."

"What?" she shrieked. "Oh, hell no. I'm on my way."

Hope flickered warily inside my chest. "Are you sure? Because, that would be… great."

"Of course I'm sure. I was going to head out tomorrow morning, you know – bring you home for the weekend – but I can't leave you there tonight. No way, Jose."

Her feistiness made me smile. "All right. Thanks. I appreciate it."

"No worries. Okay, listen, I might be awhile because it's snowing but I will come. I promise."

"Take your time," I laughed, feeling lighter than I had in days. "I'll be fine."

"Okay, see you soon."

"Bye…"

"Hey, Bella!"

"What?"

"Edward's glad you're coming."

"Oh really?"

"Really. Okay, bye for real this time."

I could hear the smile in her voice. Edward was this kid she'd gone to high school with. One night Alice was on the phone with him and he'd overheard my voice as I asked Alice a question. We'd ended up chatting briefly and whenever he spoke to or emailed Alice afterward he told her to tell me "hi".

It had become sort of a running theme, an inside joke, and I always made sure to send along my regards as well. One night Alice made Edward look at my Facebook while I looked at his and the silly banter became silly flirting.

Once Alice and I hung up, I grabbed a book and settled back to kill time. It was very cool that I'd get to meet her friends, but honestly I was just relieved to be getting out of the dorm. Alice lived in a little New Hampshire town called Nashua. I'd never been there, but she spoke fondly of it all the time and I knew that most of her friends were there on break as well.

Based on what she'd told me before, it only took about two and half to three hours to get from Nashua to Hempstead, depending on weather and traffic.

Opening my book, I got comfortable and started reading.

* * *

Alice blustered in to the room like a gust of winter air.

She rushed over, sprinkling snowflakes.

"My goodness, look at your leg! Oh, Bella," she cried, hugging me tightly. "How did you do this?"

"It was so dumb," I said, hugging her back. "We were just walking down the street and I stepped wrong."

Alice stood back, shaking her head. "Only you."

"No kidding. Did you come by yourself?"

"Hell no," she said, nodding toward the hallway. "I got Peter out there, waiting. I wanted to make sure you were decent before bringing him in."

"Of course I'm decent," I snorted, struggling to get off the bed.

Alice helped me up, yelling for her brother to come and grab my bags. "Do you need to pee before we go? Cuz I do. I drank all this Dunkin' Donuts on the way…"

"We don't need details, Ally, just go." Peter said, coming into our room. He smiled politely at me; we'd me briefly at the beginning of the school year. "You okay, Bella?"

"I'm fine. Thanks for coming out, I don't know what I'd do…"

He nodded, slinging my duffel bags over his arm. "No problem. She's been talking about bringing you home for weeks."

Alice reappeared. "Damn straight. I missed you, girl."

"I missed you too."

With Peter on my left and Alice on my right we locked up and left. The hallway was almost kind of eerie; hardly any students had come back yet.

I paused once we reached the front door downstairs. There was a lot of tile and melted snow made it a slippery mess.

"I gotcha," Peter said, thrusting my bags and crutches at Alice so he could better support me.

They'd parked illegally at the curb, so we didn't have far to go.

Once inside, Alice turned up the heater and plugged in her iPod.

"Let's get hot chocolate," she said, twisting around in her seat so she could see me.

That sounded amazing.


	5. Kiss

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Sessions"**_

_prompt - kiss_

* * *

I floated.

Around my house, to the mail box, back to the house.

I'd requested the day after returning home off. I'd missed a few days off work already, but I knew I'd be useless if I went back to work jetlagged and out of it.

When Edward had left me early Monday morning I tried to go back to sleep but couldn't.

I stayed in bed, wrapped in an old comforter, not bothering to get un-naked. Gazing at my room, the same four walls I'd been staring at for years; the stuff on the walls had changed, evolved as I'd grown, but it was all still the same.

Only now it was different. I saw it with new eyes. Saw it through the moony fog of Edward's kiss and Edward's hands and Edward's words.

Edward's "love you".

My "I love you."

My parents, Alice and Rose were the usual recipients of those three words. I'd never said it to a guy I'd been dating.

Dating wasn't even the right word for what Edward and I were doing. We may have been dating when we went to Hawaii but when we came home afterward we were… together.

So I floated.

My mother came home from work a little later than usual. She'd gone to the grocery store.

I was in the kitchen in a tank top and panties, slathering peanut butter on to a piece of bakery bread.

"Hey, honey!" She dropped her bags and rushed over to me. I hardly had time to drop the knife before we hugged. My eyes burned; I hadn't realized how much I'd missed her til that very second.

"Hey Mom."

"How was it?" she asked, giving me one last squeeze before letting go. "I want details. You took pictures right?"

"A ton. And we had the most amazing time. I don't even know where to start. It was…" I shook my head, dazed. "Just…amazing."

"That good, huh?" Her smile turned amused, like she knew. "Edward?"

I felt like my blush probably covered my entire body. "Yeah."

She nodded, putting groceries away. "I had a feeling. Hawaii's a pretty romantic place."

"Yeah… I don't think it was just that though…"

"I know it wasn't. I'm just not surprised. I see the way you two look at each other. It was just a matter of time."

"That's what he always said," I laughed, capping the jar of peanut butter. "That this was just a matter of time."

We chatted awhile longer, and when I finished my sandwich I dragged out the laptop, where I'd uploaded my pictures earlier. Over tea, I showed her the things I'd seen and the things we'd done, warming inside every time memories of a more intimate nature flitted through my head.

I knew I was going to have to tell her that Edward and I were considering getting a place together, but I wanted to wait until things were a little more certain. The conversation Edward and I had about it wasn't exactly a serious one; I mean, it was, but we'd both been half asleep and drunk on feelings. I wanted to sit down and have a practical discussion – preferably one where we were fully clothed.

He was amazing when it came to pushing me toward a better life, to realizing my dreams. I trusted him in that regard, knew he wouldn't hold me back. And I believed I could be good for him too. I supported him.

Still, it was not a decision to be taken lightly.

* * *

I snuggled closer to him, resting my head on the pillow we shared.

He curled closer, handing me the joint.

I took a couple of pulls and exhaled slowly, liking the way the smoke sweetened the glow of everything. There was a meteor shower and we'd driven up to the bluffs to watch it. There were a couple of other cars parked around, people we knew, but it was a mellow scene. No rowdiness or music tonight, just the soft crackle of the occasional car radio.

We were on the hood of Edward's car, wrapped in sleeping bags and other silly stuff meant to make us more comfortable.

There weren't as many falling stars as I'd anticipated, and the ones we saw were small, but it was still pretty cool. Every once in a while a brilliant one would blaze by and there would be a collective sigh.

At least, I thought. It was hard to hear much more than the crash of waves way down below and Edward's voice in my ear.

He hit the joint once more before outing it on top of an empty soda can.

"So, I've been thinking about it," I said, breathing deeply the briny sea air.

"Yeah?"

"Mhm. And I think… I think we should go for it. We're good together."

"We're great together," he corrected, kissing my cheek.

"And you inspire me."

"You inspire me, Bella," he whispered, catching his lips on my ear. "So much."

"I do?" That was new; he always seemed so confident, like he'd gone through this little crisis and come out stronger and was now showing me the ropes.

"You do. You make me think about things I didn't before. I want to do this right, you know? I'm ready for that."

"Me too," I breathed, closing my eyes.

A real zinger seared across the night sky, underlining our conversation.

* * *

_hey guys! sorry so late. i'm in new jersey for a family reunion and it's been hectic (hectic in a good way, but hectic nonetheless)._

_xoxo_


	6. Embrace

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

prompts - embrace, nude, painkiller

* * *

Dear Neighbor,

Please do not leave your trash bin out all night without a lid. The animals got into it last night and spread trash all over my yard.

Thank you,

B

* * *

Dear "B",

Duly noted.

Also, try closing your gate. Maybe then "the animals" would stay out of your yard.

"E"

* * *

E-

Fine.

B

* * *

Dear E,

Please refrain from sunbathing nude in your backyard. My bedroom window faces right into it.

Thank you,

B

* * *

Dear Ms. B,

Maybe you should try it sometime, embrace your inner flower child.

Otherwise, it's my yard. Please refrain from looking into it.

Yours,

E

* * *

Dear E,

No need to be a jerk. If you like showing your goods off to the neighborhood, be my guest.

B

* * *

Dearest B,

Does "B" stand for what I think it stands for? I'm beginning to think so, by the tone of these little notes.

E

* * *

Hi, B.

Hit the nail on the head, did I?

E

* * *

E,

More like you were hit on the head, and probably as a small child. Don't bother responding. This is becoming a headache.

B

* * *

I'd just taken a rack of cookies from the oven when there were three sharp raps on the door.

Shedding my oven mitts, I made my way to the front of the house, pausing only to squint through the peephole. Incredulous as to whom I saw, I swung the door open.

"Yes?"

"B?" He grinned this cocky grin, his eyes flickering down my body really quickly as he held up a bottle of aspirin.

"What…" I took the bottle hesitantly.

"You said the notes were becoming a headache, so I brought a painkiller." He shrugged, looking further into the house. "You baking in there?"


	7. Stutter

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Slippery"**_

_prompt - stutter_

* * *

It felt really good, driving with Alice and Peter. They had the whole sibling banter thing going on, bickering playfully about everything from sports teams to music.

Peter was the more wry type, often shaking his head at Alice's effervescence. You could tell the two were close though. For the first time I actually wished I'd known what it was like to have an older brother.

"You okay back there?" Alice asked for the tenth time.

"Just as okay as I was five minutes ago."

Alice had brought a bunch of pillows with her from home. I had one beneath my leg and several behind my back. It was like being inside of a marshmallow.

"Just checkin', just checkin'," she said, waving her hand.

I reached up, giving her hair an affectionate tug.

According to her, we were making good time and were pretty close to Nashua. The snow had only gotten worse, but Peter was an apt driver and had the perfect vehicle for such weather – an SUV with four wheel drive and snow chains.

"Last rest stop till we get home; anyone have to go?" he asked.

I did, a little, but I didn't feel like stopping. Maneuvering a public rest room on a freezing, snowy night with crutches was not my idea of fun. Alice replied in the negative as well and we continued on, past the glowing lights of slower moving cars and the now bare branched trees lining the side of the road.

Her phone beeped. I heard her laugh quietly.

"What?"

"Jasper wants to know when we'll be there so they can be ready. They want to get the new girl wasted."

"Oh yeah. I'm sure I'll be the life of the party, hopping on one leg."

She turned around, making a face. "Whatever. We've all had breaks and sprains. I mean, it sucks but… it's not like you can't chill."

I shrugged, adjusting one of my pillows. "Maybe."

"Not maybe, definitely. Anyway…" Another beep drew her attention back to the phone. She grinned, thrusting it at me so I could see the text.

_Cullen's being a dick. He already called dibs._

"Is Cullen…Edward?"

She nodded, biting her lip as she pecked away at the keyboard.

I scrunched up my nose, but I liked the attention. How could I not? From what I'd seen via Facebook, Edward Cullen was pretty cute. He had a nice voice, too. Such things could be misleading normally, but Alice had assured me he was even more appealing in person.

"Well, Bella, welcome to the neighborhood," Peter announced suddenly.

Alice tossed her phone aside and waggled her eyebrows. "You ready?"

"For what?"

"Psshh, whaddya mean 'for what'? To have fun! C'mon, keep up."

* * *

No sooner had Peter helped me into the house, the rest of the family descended upon me.

"Ah, Bella – we finally get to meet you!" An older version of Alice, just as petite and just as cute, swept me into her arms, careful not to topple me over. "Alice has told us so much about you!"

"Thanks for inviting me into your home, Mrs. Miller," I said, giving her a one armed hug.

"Call me Mary," she chided. "Peter, take her bags to Alice's room." She turned back to me, her apple red cheeks also reminding me of Alice. "I'm sorry we don't have an available guest room… I've been using it for scrapbooking – "

"No one cares, Ma," Alice interrupted, kissing her mother's cheek. "I want Bella in my room anyway."

"Seriously, it's fine," I agreed, overwhelmed by all of the kindness.

Alice's father and little brother introduced themselves as well and then Alice whisked me to the living room.

"Okay. Are you hungry? Or do you just want to go?"

"It doesn't matter," I said honestly.

"Of course she's hungry," Mary called from the kitchen. "Stop being such a terror, Alice - let the girl eat."

Alice rolled her eyes, lowering her voice. "Her chicken pot pie_ is_ pretty badass. I'll just tell the boys to pick us up at ten instead."

* * *

Jasper Hale was Alice's high school sweetheart. They had some sort of on and off thing going, although by the looks of things it was more 'on'. He and another guy Mike picked us up from Alice's, each of them shoving the other aside to help me into the car.

"You two are idiots," Alice snapped, but I could tell she approved of their silliness.

She sat in the back with me, pointing out landmarks and old hang out spots as we passed them.

"Where's Angie? She come out tonight?"

"She's already there," Mike said. "Cullen picked her up."

My heart sank a little, which was dumb. I hoped "Cullen picking up Angie" was less significant than it sounded.

But Alice didn't seem fazed. "Oh, okay. Nice. Did Em ever get the ounce?"

Jasper burst out laughing. "Yeah, he did, but not without some drama."

He and Mike launched into a long and very animated tale about someone named Emmett and what he'd had to go through to score some weed. Alice was almost crying by the time they were finished and I had to admit, it was pretty funny. It made me nostalgic for my friends from back home; we had a similar dynamic.

Eventually we pulled up to an apartment complex.

Suddenly I had butterflies. Even if Edward was here with someone else, it was going to be a _moment_ for me. We'd been so effortlessly silly and flirty over the phone, and through Alice. What if we met now and it was all anti-climactic and awkward?

I hadn't been this way before. The idea of Edward had been so vague, so far away. We lived in different states, attended different schools. I'd never even thought we'd meet; it was all just for kicks and giggles. It meant nothing, really.

Except now I was meeting him.

I tried to tamp down the irrational panic that flared through me.

Mike opened my door and offered me his hand. I wasn't sure, but I was getting a little bit of a vibe from him too. _Great_.

The night had only gotten colder. The snow was coming down in thick drifts now, making me wonder if it was good that we'd left Alice's house after all.

"Come on, come on," Jasper said, locking the doors with his fob. He hurried to my side and between him and Mike I was practically lifted up the two flights of stairs, Alice bouncing ahead to ring the doorbell.

The door swung open, assaulting me with warmth and the smell of pot. There were at least a dozen kids inside.

A particularly frosty gust of snowy air whipped by, making me, Mike and Jasper all shiver in unison.

The girl who'd opened the door stepped aside, letting us in. "Hi!"

"Hey, Jess," Alice said, shutting the door behind us.

The room erupted into hellos and handshakes and general rowdiness. Everyone wanted to meet Alice's friend, and I was helped around as introductions were made. Any reservations I'd had about meeting Alice's old friends dissipated as I saw firsthand what a friendly bunch they were.

It took a minute, but then I saw him sitting on the couch. He was leaning forward, focusing intently on the joint he was rolling over the coffee table.

My mouth went a little dry.

Alice tugged me forward.

He glanced up and goodness gracious he was even better looking in person.

Much.

He smiled devilishly as he licked his joint from one end to the other, sealing it. "And there she is."

"Hi," I said, trying not to stutter from cold and nerves.

Alice led me closer, taking my crutches and sitting me beside Edward.


	8. louder!

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

storyline - "Embrace"

prompt - "You'll have to speak louder!" she yelled.

* * *

**She said**

* * *

My shrubs were looking fantastic.

I set down the electric hedge shears and wiped my arm across my brow, surveying my handiwork.

Now that I was done with that I could start on the rest of the yard, beginning with the grubby looking weeds at the edges of my fence.

It was a good thing I'd risen with the sun to do this; by twelve the heat would be unbearable.

* * *

**He said**

* * *

That grating, mechanical whine started up again, fully wrenching me from dreamland.

Dammit. I was never going to get back to sleep now.

Then, as abruptly as it had started, it stopped.

Heavenly.

I crept back beneath the covers, already feeling the sweet heaviness of oncoming slumber.

_Thank you, thank you, thank -_

The noise resumed. It sounded like a weedwacker or something.

Groaning, I squinted at clock on my night stand.

Seven oh eight?

Who _does _that?

Who does yard work at seven on a Sunday morning?

My psychopath of a friggin' neighbor, that's who. I wouldn't have been surprised if she did it just to piss me off.

I whipped the sheets off and charged over to the window, yanking it up.

"Hey! Hey, Bella!"

She continued right on, either ignoring me or unable to hear me.

Her gardening gloves were yellow. They matched her shirt.

And her hat.

_Good God._

"Heeeeeey!" I yelled, contemplating throwing something to get her attention.

She glanced around and then up, shading her eyes against the sun.

"Can you…maybe… wait till later to do that?"

"What?" She mouthed; I couldn't quite hear above the machinery.

"I said could you not do that right now! It's seven a.m.!"

"You'll have to speak louder!" she yelled.

I made the sign for "time out", hoping she'd get it.

She did. She leaned down and turned her weedwacker off, then turned her face back to me expectantly. Her cheeks were flushed, probably from exertion.

What a weirdo. Kind of cute, but a weirdo.

"I was asking if you could do this at another time," I said slowly, enunciating. "It's way too early and it's Sunday."

Bella frowned, shaking her head. "Sorry, Eddie, no can do. I work all day so this is the only time I have to work on the yard."

Inside, I was seething. Outside, I maintained a calm façade.

"I see."

She shrugged and turned away, revving the engine.

I ducked back inside and slammed the window shut. First the snippy little notes. Then she wouldn't share her cookies, and damn they'd smelled good. Now her flagrant disregard for other people's sleeping patterns.

I was an easy going guy but this was getting ridiculous.

The doorbell rang.

I made my way downstairs, yawning as I opened the door.

Little Ms. Sunshine stood on my porch, hands clasped behind her back.

"I'm done with the weedwacker."

"Oh, okay." I nodded, pleasantly surprised. Maybe she wasn't so heartless after all.

She smiled, and spun around, her cute little ass looking extra cute in those cute little shorts.

I climbed the stairs and got back into bed. Sleep was definitely off the table, but I could catch up on some reading for sure. Peace and quiet had never been so appreciated.

* * *

**She said**

* * *

I put the weedwacker in its designated spot and latched the shed.

Then I crossed the yard and went into the garage, where my red and black John Deere riding mower was.

If he thought the weedwacker was loud, wait'll he got a load of this!

_Sucker._


	9. Music

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline -** "Sessions"**_

_prompt - music_

* * *

"I want you to be there."

Smiling, I nodded - even though Edward couldn't see me – and tried not to bite my lip. I was trying to rid myself of the habit; it chapped my lips and made them look bad. "Of course I'll be there."

I could hear him smiling over the phone. "Good."

We chatted a moment longer and then I had to say goodbye. It was my first day back at the office and the last thing I wanted to do was piss Mr. Uley off. He loved me, but he was serious when it came to work –as he should be.

The rest of the afternoon flew by in a blur of emails, faxes and deliveries. While the busyness made the day go by quickly it only reinforced what I now knew deep down: I couldn't continue doing this. My calling was in education, not office work. I had a long road ahead of me: finding a job that would pay me adequately while helping me toward my chosen career path as I continued getting an education of my own.

It felt good to be excited again – real, sustained excitement – the kind that could only come from feeling inspired.

Later that afternoon I drove home, not surprised to see the driveway empty since my mother sometimes met her friends for drinks after work. She'd also recently begun dating a sweet guy, Phil, and they often went out to dinner. He was the gym teacher at one of the local high schools and definitely very her type, if not a bit young.

Love made me gracious, though, and I was happy for her.

I grabbed an apple on my way upstairs, contemplating what I wanted to wear. Edward would be by within the hour and I didn't want to be dawdling around naked when he showed.

Well, maybe I did.

The very thought of him sent my heart into a tailspin.

* * *

"Where're you going?"

Edward looked at me sideways, his mouth quirked into that crooked smile that made my heart beat funny. "Quick pit stop. I'm hungry."

"Oh…" I frowned, wondering where he could possibly expect to find food down this road.

He drove a little further and then pulled off, cutting the lights. The greyblue of dusk settled around us, as did the quiet alone.

He leaned over, cupping my cheek in his hand as he kissed me.

I smiled against his mouth. "Hungry, huh?"

"Mhm."

Giving into his kiss, I heard myself sigh. My body relaxed in his familiarity, air exhaling from a balloon.

Soon he pulled away and pulled me with him, luring me to his lap as he unzipped his jeans.

I let go of him long enough to take my own jeans off and then crawled over the console, settling into his lap. We kissed again, his tongue and mine coming together, warm and wet and good. I ground myself against him, liking the way his hardness rubbed me just the right way.

He found the hem of my shirt and lifted it so I brought my arms up, allowing him to take it off.

I hadn't worn a bra, liking the way the soft fabric felt against my nipples. His eyes went right for them and then so did his mouth. I let him kiss me that way for a while until I was restless and itchy with want, and then I slid him inside of me, moaning and probably biting my lip even though I didn't mean to.

He moaned too, his hands gripping me nice and rough and all over.

I rode him till I couldn't and then he took over, pulling and pushing and moving me until I hit the steering wheel in my pleasure, the horn bleeping out a disjointed wail.

"I love you," he gasped, looking so serious when he came. "Be with me, Bella."

"I love you too," I nearly sobbed, clasping him close. "I want to wake up with you and go to sleep with you. Let's do this. Let's find a place, soon."

He kissed me soft and quiet and I put on his shirt when we were done, forcing him to pull something else to wear from his backpack.

* * *

If it felt like all eyes were on us when we got to the lounge it's because they were.

We were late; the band was already setting up on stage and the groupies were in place, holding down the fort at a corner table.

Love made me gracious, though, so I smiled and I waved.

Charlotte and Kate got up when I got closer and we grabbed our own table beside the others.

"You look good," Charlotte cooed, and I knew what she meant. "I heard you guys went to Hawaii?"

I nodded, sneaking a peek at Edward.

"I don't believe it. This is the real deal Holyfield," she said, shaking her head and smiling. "Like, for real – for real."

Snorting a little, I forced myself to focus on her and Kate. "It is, yeah. I think so anyway."

"I think so too," Kate said. She smiled down at the table. "He can hardly stop looking at you."

I was in junior high all over again. "Really?"

"Oh yeah."

"And isn't this…" Charlotte pulled gently at the shirt. "…his?"

I nodded, feeling the apples of my cheeks rubify.

The boys began to play then, music filling the place with great. We swayed along, singing when we knew the words, simply nodding if we didn't.

That girl Carmen showed up, slinky and pretty, a Jezebel in jeans and dark purple. Our eyes met for just a second before her gaze drifted down to my shirt, his shirt. She frowned and I just knew she knew; it was a shirt he wore all the time and my wearing it was about as obvious about claiming him as I could get.

But it wasn't even about that.

I loved him. I wanted to wear his clothes, to smell him, to imagine him.

I wanted him to look at me in his shirt and like what he saw, to remember how it had gotten on me in the first place.

The song ended and then Edward came to the front, half sitting on the barstool on stage.

"This is for her," he said, and he looked at me.


	10. Cheerleader

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Slippery"**_

_prompt - cheerleader_

* * *

"Hi," he said back, taking me in really quickly before returning to his joint.

I watched him fuss with it, making sure it was smoke-able I guess. He looked good in his Adidas hoodie and faded jeans. The fact that he was all laid back and casual made him even more appealing to me. Alice and I went to school with a load of over styled pretty boys; it was refreshing – and terribly sexy – to be around a guy who was sexy just by _being_.

But then I caught myself. I was totally staring. For a second I worried he was more of a playboy than I'd anticipated, that his sweet, silly over-the-phone self was something of an act. But wouldn't Alice have seen that? Wouldn't she know?

She'd literally thrown me at him.

He elbowed me lightly, handing over the spliff as he exhaled.

"You… smoke, right?"

Nodding, I accepting his offering. Now it was his turn to watch me, so I hoped the smoke camouflaged my flushed cheeks. Ah well, I could always blame the cold outside. Or the heat inside.

And then it was just him and me, no props.

I rubbed my hands down the thighs of my jeans. "So. We meet."

"We meet," he echoed, looking at my ankle. "What happened? Why are you on crutches?"

"It's kind of stupid… I was just walking down the sidewalk back home and I misstepped," I explained. "Very lame."

He snorted and I looked at him.

"Lame?" he asked, grinning.

"Yeah… lame," I said, wondering where he was going with it.

"Lame. You can't walk."

I rolled my eyes at the awful pun. He was way too cute; it was dangerous. "Ha ha."

"Aw, come on. It was funny," he teased, elbowing me again. Only this time he stayed pressed against me, the warmth from his body transferring through the fabric of our clothing.

It made my stomach flip flop. Everything else faded into the background.

"Are you having fun with Alice?" Edward asked.

I nodded, appreciating his effort to make conversation. Not that we were a little stoney, it might be difficult to converse properly. Then again, it might be easier. I eyed him surreptitiously, wondering what he was thinking, and more specifically, what he thought of me.

"I mean, I've only been here a few hours, but everyone's been really nice so far," I said, careful not to move too much. I didn't want him to straighten up.

"Yeah, they're cool," he agreed, glancing at me. Our eyes met for a second and we both looked away. My heart panged.

An awkward moment passed. He cleared his throat. "It kinda sucks your ankle is messed up."

"Tell me about it."

"I think we're going ice skating tomorrow."

This time, my heart sank. "Oh. Well, I don't know how to skate anyway."

He looked at me incredulously, moving away a little. Darn.

"You can't skate?"

I shook my head. "I grew up in Phoenix. It's like, the desert."

"I guess," he said, still looking surprised. "Doesn't matter; I'll sit it out with you."

"No," I laughed. "You should go…"

"It's ice skating. I've gone a million times," he said, shrugging. "Besides what kind of guy would I be if I left you by yourself?"

I bit back a smile, but I knew the blush betrayed my amusement. "I don't know; what kind of guy are you?"

He leaned his head back, his eyes trained on me still. "What kind of girl are you?"

The grin broke through. I laid my head back, mirroring his pose.

"No, wait – I saw your Facebook. Let me guess. You're Greek."

"No way," I said. "Pledging's not for me."

"Cheerleader?"

"Do I look peppy or something to you?" I laughed.

"Maybe it's the ponytail," he said.

Without another thought I loosened it, letting my hair fall down over my shoulders.

His eyes followed the movement. He touched my hair, gently twisting it between his fingertips.

This flirting was going to be the death of me.

"Maybe you're an academic," he murmured, staring at me. "I bet you have glasses."

"I do. I'm wearing contacts."

His hand fell away. "That I'd like to see."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I just… want to."

I was about to switch the conversation to him when a willowy brunette wandered over to say hi to Alice, who was sitting on the carpet right near my feet.

Al tugged my pant leg."Bella."

"Yeah?"

"Have you met Angie yet? She's graduating this year."

Aha. Angie. I evaluated her as we introduced ourselves, wondering if she and Edward were hooking up or if there were just friends. It couldn't that serious if she was still a senior, right? Would he be acting all coy and flirtatious with me if they were dating? Some guys were like that.

"You gotta let me know when it's time to go," Edward said out of nowhere. "Cuz I'm not going to remember."

Angie rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay."

"I'm just saying. Mom got all pissed last time cuz you were past curfew. I'm not dealing with that crap again."

"I said okay. She said I could stay out until twelve thirty tonight anyway."

"Oh yeah? How come she didn't tell me that?" Edward said, shifting closer to me again.

But Angie was already walking away.

"So she's your sister?"

"Step sister. Since we were little though, so yeah. She's my sister."

Suddenly I liked Angie.

Edward and I chatted and chatted. He was easy to talk to, and I didn't think it was the weed. I genuinely enjoyed his company and he seemed to enjoy mine. And then on course there was the undercurrent of attraction running between us. I no longer worried that it was one-sided; I saw the way he looked at me.

Angie came back, pulling a lanky boy along with her. "Ben said he'll drive me."

"I don't think so," Edward said, sitting up.

"Aw, come on," she cried, pushing her glasses up. "He's fine. He doesn't even drink, unlike some people…"

For some reason that made me laugh a little.

"Oh, you think that's funny, huh?" Edward accused, poking me in the side. he touched me a lot. I liked that.

"A little," I admitted.

He grunted, standing up. I took the moment to ogle him undetected, really liking how his clothes fell, how tall he was.

Why the hell weren't there boys like this back at Hoftsra?

And if there were, where were they hiding?

"Bella, I need to take Angie home. Do you want to come for the ride?"

Surprised, I hesitated and looked down at Alice, who of course was listening.

"Yeah go ahead, babe. They live, like, ten minutes away," she said.

"Are you sure?" I asked, looking up at Edward. "Maybe I should just stay; I can hardly move in this thing."

He gazed down at me, his lip twitching like he wanted to smile.

"What?"

"I'll give you a piggy back ride."

"No!" I gasped.

"Yeah. Come on." he started yanking me up,

"Edward, I'm just gonna go with Ben," Angie called, heading toward the door.

"No!" he called back. "Don't do it, Ben. I'll kill ya." Then he nodded toward me and resumed his tugging.

"Go on, Bella," Alice urged.

Careful to keep my weight on the good foot, I let Edward haul me up. Before I could figure out how he was going to get me on his back he went ahead and did it.

"You can come for the ride too, Ben," he said as we made our way to the front door.

If I was at all heavy to him, he didn't show it. He eased me into the front seat of his car, giving Angie and Ben the backseat.


	11. Poetry

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Air"**_

_prompt - poetry_

* * *

I wanted to go home for Thanksgiving, but I couldn't wing it financially. I'd be going home for Christmas instead.

Gone were the days of getting everything I wanted all of the time. Childhood is so damn fleeting. It takes forever when it's happening but as soon as it's over you realize how golden it was. How temporary.

I missed my parents, missed Phoenix. But I was, technically, an adult now. I had to work and earn my keep and pay my dues and stick to schedules.

Thankfully Rosalie had family in the Bay, so that's where Alice and I would be for Thanksgiving. Edward hadn't invited me to have dinner at with his family, and I hadn't asked. For some reason it didn't bother me. They were a close knit unit, and I missed my girls.

It was quite possible this was the most mature relationship I'd ever had. I trusted him. I didn't have to worry about who he was with or what he was doing when he wasn't with me. That's not something I could say about a few of my other past relationships.

As long as I spent time with Edward during Thanksgiving break I was straight. It wasn't like we didn't spend a ton of time together already.

It was all so easy.

* * *

Movement from the doorway caught my eye.

I glanced up, taking my ear buds out of my ears. "What's up?"

Alice nodded back toward the hallway. "Peter and Sean are here."

"Oh, okay. Cool." I detangled myself from my books and music and followed her into our living room, where Rose was talking with the boys.

"Bella," Peter said, standing up to hug me.

It was weird. He still looked good to me, and I could admit to myself that the attraction was still there.

But I no longer craved his presence, or cared about what he did. It was so freeing, and so nice to be able to appreciate his capacity to be my friend and just my friend. We'd hung out a few times in the past few months and it always felt the same: easy going. It was like, the good parts of our friendship were the only parts now, no bitterness because he didn't like me the way I wanted him to.

We'd always had a ton in common, and had spent so much time together pre-Edward that people at my job asked if we were dating.

I'd love when they asked that, because I'd wanted it to be true.

Things were different now. Healthier. Thank God.

"Hey, Pete. What's up?"

"I was gonna stop by Drew real quick –you wanna come?" he asked. "He's working on some of the tracks we laid down earlier."

"Sure," I agreed, shrugging.

Alice and I shared a look when Peter turned around and I left the room before I began laughing out loud. Seriously – everybody in the Bay was working on their album. Everybody, Peter included.

"So he's a nice guy?" Peter asked in the car, the afternoon sun making his skin look like caramel.

"Of course he's nice," I said, smiling. "I only date nice guys."

"What's his name?"

"Edward."

"Edward?" he snorted. "That's kind of… I don't know…"

"Yeah, okay Peter," I teased, not the least bit phased by his silliness.

"I'm just sayin'. Isn't he a lot older than you?"

"Who told you that? Rose?"

"Yeah."

"Did Rose tell you she's messing with his friend, who is also much older?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

"Ha, no she didn't. Nice." Peter shook his head, smirking. "Anyway, it's all good. Older women are great."

"Is that right," I hummed, smiling.

"Yeah."

We pulled up to Drew's. He looked at me and I looked at him and yeah - it was all good.

* * *

Rose had grown up in the affluent area of Walnut Creek. She had aunts and uncles and cousins spread out all over California and they routinely met at her parent's annually for Thanksgiving. Alice and I were welcomed with love, laughter, food and wine.

Once we'd gorged ourselves we went for a long walk through the neighborhood, trying desperately to rid ourselves of the bloated feeling. It was nice and cold out and I breathed it in greedily, feeling very blessed with my life.

Despite our easy going agreement that we'd spend Thanksgiving apart Edward called me around nine, wanting to know what I was up to. It surprised me a little, but I found myself relieved. I'd been getting a little restless, not even knowing why, not knowing he was feeling the same way across town.

He said he'd be by to get me in about a half hour. I made rounds, saying my goodbyes, giving hugs and receiving leftovers to take home.

He called me when he was outside and I left the warmth of Rose's childhood home for the warmth of Edward's truck. We kissed when I climbed inside; he smiled at me, affection apparent in his gaze. Edward wasn't too liberal with his words and he wasn't too effusive emotionally, but I'd learned how he communicated.

We drove home with the windows cracked open, letting in the autumn chill with its smell of burning. He stopped at a corner store to get another bottle of wine and we went home where we fooled around in his bed and I read him poetry in my panties. He teased me about my academic pretentiousness and bourgeoisie methods of flirting until I got to Carnal apple, Woman filled, Burning Moon. That made him horny he said, and that was okay, so he touched me, teasing me now with fingers instead of words.

But he'd tricked me all along because he waited until I came and then whispered, his stubble scraping my cheek, his wet hands gripping my hips, "I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees."

* * *

_he's quoting Neruda's** Every Day You Play. **_

_she's reading** Carnal apple, Woman filled, burning moon**_

_Carnal apple, Woman filled, burning moon,_  
_dark smell of seaweed, crush of mud and light,_  
_what secret knowledge is clasped between your pillars?_  
_What primal night does Man touch with his senses?_  
_Ay, Love is a journey through waters and stars,_  
_through suffocating air, sharp tempests of grain:_  
_Love is a war of lightning,_  
_and two bodies ruined by a single sweetness._  
_Kiss by kiss I cover your tiny infinity,_  
_your margins, your rivers, your diminutive villages,_  
_and a genital fire, transformed by delight,_  
_slips through the narrow channels of blood_  
_to precipitate a nocturnal carnation,_  
_to be, and be nothing but light in the dark._

_**Pablo Neruda**_


	12. Hammer, song, tweet

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Embrace"**_

_prompts - hammer, song, tweet_

* * *

**He said**

* * *

There was a knock at the door. A series of knocks, actually. I peeked through the window.

Emmett leered back at me, holding up two twelve packs of beer.

I opened the door, grinning. "Took ya long enough."

"Yeah, whatever. Wait, don't close it – Jasper's coming."

Leaving the front door open, we went to the kitchen to add Em's beer to the ones cooling in the refrigerator. Jasper walked in with several other people right as we popped the first beers of the night. I glanced out the kitchen window, wondering if Bella was home yet.

See, some of us were morning people. But others?

Were night owls.

* * *

**She said**

* * *

I turned the corner onto my street and groaned.

There were cars parked everywhere. Some of them were even encroaching on the curb in front of my house. Ugh, whatever. I was too exhausted to care.

I had oodles of work to do before I could turn in, too. I'd spent most of the day trying to arrange home care for Mrs. Richards, who had Alzheimer's. Her husband had died recently and her children, while attentive, had full time jobs and families of their own. I'd be mired down in paperwork 'till at least eight.

As long as I was in bed by nine, though, I'd be okay.

* * *

Another round of chanting.

Ugh, what the hell were they doing over there?

This was Edward's way of getting back at me, I just knew it. I hated him. I hated his stupid perfect face and his toasty little buns which he still insisted on tanning every weekend.

Snatching another pillow up, I smooshed it on top of my face, hoping to mute out some of the rowdiness from next door.

But that didn't help. Song after rambunctious song blared on, seeping right through my reinforced windows. I could hear the high pitched giggles and the throaty shouts and good God was that the smell of marijuana?

Ripping the sheets off, I stormed to the guestroom on the other side of the hall, hoping the lack of proximity would alleviate my sleeplessness.

Nope. The noises were slightly fainter, but not by much.

By midnight I'd had enough. Someone had a whistle and would tweet it at intervals, as if refereeing some sort of game.

I'd given him his time but this was ridiculous. I felt like taking a hammer to his stereo system.

Pulling a sweatshirt on over my tank top, I marched downstairs, outside, and to the house next door. There were people everywhere, spilling out into the yard with their cigarettes and red cups and bottles and God knows what else.

"Hey girl," one drunkard slurred. Another one tugged my ponytail as I passed.

"Nice shorts," someone said. I tugged my pajama bottoms down a little, realizing how short they were now that I wasn't in bed.

But Edward was nowhere to be found. "Excuse me," I asked some girl sitting on the kitchen counter.

She looked down at me. "Yes?"

"Is Edward here?"

"Well, it's his house," she laughed.

A really cheesy nineties song about thongs came on.

"Obviously. Do you know where he is?" I clarified.

She shook her head and turned back to the beer bong.

I took one last trip to the living room, trying to avoid the jeers and catcalls.

Aha! He was next to a pool table, chatting up some girl.

Smoothing my admittedly ridiculous shorts, I made my way over to him. His redhead noticed me first. She gave me a dirty look as Edward turned from her to me.

"Yes?" He cocked his eyebrow.

"Think you could turn it down? Just a little?" I asked.

"Nope." He grinned and took a long swing from his bottle.

"You're just mad because of yesterday," I fumed, folding my arms. "I'm sorry about that, okay? But this is a weeknight. People have to work tomorrow."

He cocked his head, studying me.

"What?" I asked, irritated and really tired.

"I just can't figure you out," he said. The girl beside him huffed impatiently and walked off, wobbling in her hooker heels. "You've got to be the most uptight frigging person I've ever met."

I bit back what I wanted to say in return, noticing the music had finally stopped.

"Never mind," I said. "Good night."

"Mhm."

I turned around, almost bumping into the redhead, who was back.

And spilling beer on me.

I gasped, jumping back.

"OhmygoshI'msosorry!" she said, but she was obviously trying not to laugh.

"Aw, crap – Bella – " Edward's voice was right behind me but I ignored it.

I went right out the way I came, raging and stinking of cheap beer.

Back in the safety of my own home, I tossed my soiled clothes into the washing machine before taking a quick shower. By the time I came out the music still hadn't come on again from next door. I peeked through the blinds, shocked to see two police cars parked out front, their red and blue lights flashing.

I guess I wasn't the only one having a rough time sleeping; someone must've called the cops. Well that sucked.

For them that is, not me.

* * *

**He said**

* * *

That witch called the cops.

This was war.

* * *

_(she didn't call the cops, obviously. just wanted to clarify before one of ya'll goes off on bella's crazy type A butt. jeez, some of you really hate her, lol. )_

_and, *snicker* thanks to RaeWright. I'd been considering this scenario but then when she mentioned it i knew it was destiny. :) _


	13. Lollipop

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Slippery"**_

_prompt - lollipop_

* * *

Alice was right; we didn't have far to go to bring Angie home.

But Edward drove slowly, carefully navigating the snow covered roads. I'd never seen so much snow in my life. It was beautiful, and a little eerie.

As if he was reading my thoughts Edward inclined his head toward me. "You don't see this in Phoenix."

"No," I laughed softly. "We don't. I love it."

"You'll get over it. Then you'll hate t like the rest of us," he snorted.

"You really hate it?"

He shook his head, smiling. "Nah. It gets annoying but I don't hate it. There's still stuff to do."

"Like what?"

"Like snowboarding," Angie piped up from the backseat. "Edward's ready for the X Games."

"Shut it, Ange," Edward chuckled, but I could see the pleasure on his face.

"Yeah? You snowboard?" I asked.

He shrugged, nodding.

Angie's voice was suddenly right by my ear, a quick whisper. "He's really good."

I made a mental note to scour his Facebook a little more thoroughly.

Edward swung into a cul-de-sac.

"You have two minutes," he said, looking over his shoulder at Ben. "I'm serious."

"Okay, okay," the younger boy muttered, hustling out of the backseat with Angie. They trotted up to the front door. Poor kids had no privacy.

Edward fiddled with the heater. "You okay? Warm enough?"

"Yeah, I 'm good. Thanks."

"No problem."

Silence fell over the car. It was a little awkward, but not too bad. I watched him surreptitiously as he scrolled through the songs on his iPod. The streetlight we were parked under bathed him in a warm glow… he really was awesome looking. I wondered what it had been like for him in high school, if the girls had been flocking or if he'd been the chill type. Honestly, I could see him in either role.

It had been over two minutes but I wasn't saying anything. Those kids deserved a little time and frankly, so did I.

"Yo, I'm getting hungry," he sighed suddenly, a lazy smile spreading across his face. "Friendly's?"

"No, that's okay. I don't have my crutches remember?"

"Oh, yeah." He leaned back, chewing his lip. "We could go to IHOP…"

I made a face, wondering how that was any different.

"Get it?" He was laughing a little now. "IHOP? I hop? No crutches?"

I laughed so hard I snorted, which just made him laugh more.

"That's really dumb," I snickered.

"Yeah, yeah, you laughed."

"I did."

"I'm still hungry though."

"Well… isn't there anyplace with a drive through?" I asked

"Yeah, but it's not the same, you know? I want to sit down… and talk to you." He cocked his head flirtatiously. I had a feeling that face had gotten its way more than a few times.

"We're in the middle of a snow storm. And I don't want Alice to worry."

He whipped out his phone and began texting.

I grabbed for the phone but he kept it out of my reach. "What're you – is that Alice?"

"Yup."

"Not cool, man. Not cool."

He gave me puppy dog eyes. "So you don't want to go out with me?"

My stomach flipped at the choice of his words.

"I do, I just…"

His phone beeped.

"She said whatever, to just keep you safe," he said.

"You do realize we'll have Ben with us," I reminded him.

"What the… that little – " he jumped out of the car.

I watched in amusement as he approached his little sister and her boyfriend, shoved her inside, and shooed him back to the car.

"Are you always like this?" I asked once they were back in the car.

"Yes, he is," mumbled Ben.

"We're going to a diner," Edward announced.

Turns out, that wasn't too far either. There were hardly any cars in the parking lot though, probably because of the snow. Edward pulled up right in front and raced around to my side to help me, easing me on to his back again. I felt like an idiot, even though I secretly also loved the physical closeness.

The waitress showed us to a booth, poor Ben trailing along behind us.

"Just let me know when you're ready," she simpered, apparently oblivious to the fact he'd come in with another girl on his back.

I had to admit, once my pancakes came the munchies madness really set in. We ate and goofed off, cracking jokes and being obnoxious. Turns out Edward and Ben were actually friends.

Once we'd finally finished the waitress same back, setting the check down with a lollipop on top to anchor it. I rolled my eyes inwardly at her tactics. She'd been flirting with Edward from the get-go. I mean, he didn't belong to me but yeah, I was feeling a little possessive.

He tried to push my money back at him but I insisted. "Come on. I'd feel better.

Shaking his head, he accepted it begrudgingly and jammed it into his wallet. He moved the lollipop aside to pay the bill, making a face when he saw it.

"What?"I whispered.

He held it up so I could see. _'Heidi - 772-555-7297'_.

I glanced over at her. She was near the hostess station, taking to another waitress.

"Well there you go." I gestured toward the paper. Edward slapped the money down and scooped me up so that he was almost cradling me.

"Edward," I hissed, feeling the giggles coming back.

"Just hold on," he said.

I hooked my hands around the back of his neck as we left.

"Bye Heidi," he called.

She turned a little pink and gave a half hearted wave. "Bye…"


	14. Honey

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Session"**_

_prompt - honey_

* * *

I sat up a little straighter, my heart pounding.

His eyes were lazy, sleepy-seeming, but fixed on me. I know because mine were fixed on him.

He picked put a few chords and then fell into a sweet song, a song that felt so intimate in the midst of all of these people, and I felt my skin warm to the point of burning. The girls glanced at me, and I could see from the corner of my eye their tentative little half smiles. I didn't even want to imagine what the groupies looked liked.

Maybe some of them didn't even care. I could almost imagine Jess scratching Edward's name off of her list and going for the next guy.

But whatever. This wasn't him or her it was he and I.

He and me.

Me and him.

I'd never felt love, definitely never felt it so all encompassing. I'd heard this described as crushing and overpowering but on the contrary it felt freeing, like by being with him I was more of myself than I'd ever been.

He gave me a small smile when he was done and I smiled back, catching and keeping it in my heart.

* * *

"You're what?"

"You heard me, Mom," I sighed, trying to be patient and calm.

I'd expected this, so there was no reason for me to act up. I needed to keep this as low key as possible.

"But… you've only been seeing him for a few weeks!"

"A few months. And I know it hasn't been long but when it's right, its right. That's what you always told me, anyway."

"Oh, honey," she said, shaking her head. "I didn't mean moving in with the first guy you fell for!"

I paused my laundry folding just long enough to give her a look.

"It's not a good idea, Bella."

"Most girls my age are living on their own anyway, Mom," I argued. "I'll be fine."

"You won't be on your own. You'll be shacking up with Edward."

I tossed the pile of t-shirts down in frustration. "Look. We're finding a place, period. I've given this a lot of thought; it's not like I just jumped into it. I love him, okay? I love him."

She blinked at me, her eyes all round and shiny.

"Mom," I groaned, caught between wanting to hug her and wanting to remain pissed off.

"I just… I don't want to see you get hurt," she whispered.

Taking a deep breath I moved toward her but she took a step back. "Let me know if I can do anything."

She fled the room quickly and quietly, leaving me to ruminate in my thoughts. I felt good about my decision, even if it was rather sudden. I'd never seen myself as the type of person who just lives with someone; it had to be serious. At least, I took that type of thing really seriously – so I could appreciate my mother's concern.

At the same time, though, hearing the way she'd discounted my relationship with Edward sucked. She and I generally saw eye to eye on things and it was hard to disagree in something so important to me.

I went back to folding the last of my clothing. Edward and I had dinner reservations and I wanted to take a shower.

* * *

"So how'd it go?" Edward asked, taking a sip of water.

"Not that great." I grimaced. "I think she's having issues with me leaving the nest, so to speak."

"Ah." He nodded slowly, cutting his steak. "I can understand that."

"Well, so can I but it's like she's not even trying to understand me. Or us. She acts like we're just… like everyone else. And we're not."

"You do realize everyone thinks that, right? That they're not 'like' everyone else?"

"So?"

"So people do stuff like this all the time and the relationship fail and things get messy. You're mom's probably seen that kind of thing. She's concerned."

"Ugh. Stop being so sympathetic toward her," I groaned, spearing some salad on to my fork. "I hate being weird with her, like we're in a fight or something. It feels wrong."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Edward asked, his eyebrows drawn together. "If you're having second thoughts, just say it."

"I'm not. And I would tell you if I was," I reassured him, squeezing his hand briefly.

* * *

On Monday asked Mr. Uley if I could leave an hour early.

Carlisle had set us up with his realtor – despite Edward's insistence that we'd be fine on our own –and we were to meet with her around four fifteen.

It all felt very surreal, looking for an actual house to live in with Edward. Mrs. Denali took us to see small homes as well as condos. I sort of fell in love with a two bedroom right on the beach but when I heard the price I shook the thought right from my heard. Still, the large, lovely windows called to me, especially the ones in the living room. I could see the Pacific from where I stood.

"You like this one?" Edward asked in a low voice as Mrs. Denali took a call.

Trying to keep casual, I shrugged. "It's nice. But we have other places to see first. Cheaper places."

He rolled his eyes. "Don't start Bella. We both like this place, obviously."

"Yeah, but – "

"But nothing."

And that's how we ended up choosing the condo near the beach.

* * *

_his song for her - Lover Lay Down - Dave Matthews Band_

_Spring sweet rhythm dance in my head _

_Slip into my lover's hands _  
_Kiss me oh won't you kiss me now _  
_And sleep I would inside your mouth _

_Don't be us too shy _  
_Knowing it's no big surprise _  
_That I will wait for you _  
_I will wait for no one but you _

_Look please lover lay down _  
_Spend this time with me _  
_Together share this smile _  
_Lover lay down _

_

* * *

_

**The Age of Edward contest is back! i'm a co-host and judge this year. link is on my page... check it out. it's going to be amazing. this is my favorite of all the contests.**


	15. Bendy Straw

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Embrace"**_

_prompt - bendy straw_

* * *

**She said**

* * *

The house next door was remarkably quiet. I smirked to myself. Well, well. It looked like Mr. Party Pants wasn't partying anymore.

Glancing out the window facing the street, I finished my cup of coffee. I wondered who had been the one to call the cops; my bet was Mrs. Grayson. She was a widow, and a rather cranky one at that.

_That'll be you one day if you don't meet someone_, my inner voice snickered.

"Oh, shush," I sighed, going back upstairs to brush my teeth before work. I had a long day ahead.

* * *

**He said**

* * *

I watched from the kitchen window as Bella got into her car and left.

That chick was so predictable – she never deviated from her schedule, not even by a minute. She was lucky I wasn't a serial killer or a stalker casing her place.

Well, okay, I was kind of stalking her but only to make sure she wasn't gonna be around when I set my plan in motion. I had to get back at her for calling the cops. Granted, all they did was shut the party down but it had been a major buzz kill at the time. And it had been a little over the top, considering I could've done the same thing to her when she was roaring around her frigging yard on a lawnmower like John Deere on meth.

But anyway. It was all good.

Ms. Priss was about to meet Edward Cullen, Junior High edition.

I waited a good five minutes to make sure she didn't come back for anything – she didn't of course – and then wandered on over to her porch. After taking a quick look up and down the street I unscrewed my jar of Vaseline and smeared generous amounts of the stuff all over her doorknob.

Next I sneaked around to the back yard and located her breaker box, which was in the same spot on an exterior wall as mine was on my house. I switched off the main breaker, cutting off the electricity to the house.

Then I went home, satisfied with a job well done. Nothing harmful, really. Just enough to watch Bella flip her lid when she came home.

Lucky for me I worked from the house, so I'd definitely be home for the fireworks. Emmett, Jasper and I had started our own internet business in college dealing with local businesses and coupons. Something that had started off really small and simple had grown like crazy and within a year we'd all quit our jobs to focus on bargainbee(dot)com.

Most of the people we'd gone to college with thought we were slackers. But they weren't the ones that owned their own homes; we were.

Life was good, what could I say?

I wondered of Bella owned that house or if she was renting.

_Why does it matter, dude? Weirdo._

My cell phone buzzed in my pocket, the alarm reminding me that I had an online conference in an hour. Just enough time for a workout. I made myself a protein shake and headed to my basement gym.

* * *

**She said**

* * *

"Um, no. That's why I need you to help me," I said to Rose.

"But you're so much better at these sorts of things," she whined, her voice sounding tinny over the phone.

"Nope, flattery gets you nowhere this time," I replied, pulling into my driveway.

Rose pulled in right behind me. We closed our phones as we stepped out of our cars.

"I'm just saying you seem to have a really low opinion of your abilities but I've seen what you can do. You have amazing rapport with your cases," she said, grabbing her briefcase off of the front seat.

"Well… thanks," I sighed, having a rough time accepting the compliment. "But I could really use your expertise, okay?"

"Which is why I'm here," Rose smirked. "_Again_. I should just move in."

I withdrew my hand from the doorknob, grossed out by the gunk now all over my hand.

Rose cleared her throat. "Or not. What is that?"

"I … don't know." I looked closely at my hand, but whatever it was, was clear. I sniffed it. "It almost smells like Vaseline?"

Rose grabbed my arm, bringing my palm closer. "Definitely Vaseline," she confirmed.

"But..." I frowned, totally confused.

"That's weird," Rose said.

"Very." I unlocked the door and we walked inside. "Lemme just grab a rag to wipe – "

The light didn't come on when I flipped the switch.

"Dammit, the light must've blown. Ugh."

"You got extra bulbs?"

"Yeah, in the kitchen. Let me go grab one."

But the kitchen light wouldn't go on either and now it was dusk outside, casting the house in dimness.

"Dammit!" I shrieked.

Rose was at my side in an instant. "What?"

"I think my power's out," I groaned, holding my goopy hand out.

"Did you pay – "

"Yes, I paid it. I'm never late."

"Okay, okay, just asking."

"What should I do?" I asked, perilously close to tears. This was awful. I had so much work to do and now I couldn't even see. Or shower. Or wash my icky hand.

"You can stay at my place; come on. We'll figure this crap out tomorrow," Rose suggested.

"Okay…"

"Unless."

"Unless what?"

"It's possible something got overloaded. That's happened to me… where's your circuit breaker box?"

I shrugged in the semi-darkness. "I don't know."

Rose huffed. "You don't know? I mean, is it in the garage? Or the basement? Outside?"

"Oh wait, is it like, a grey box?"

"Usually."

"I think it might be outside," I said, leading her to the backdoor.

"Bella, babe, how can you own a house and not know where the circuit breaker is?" Rose chided.

"Because Jake handles all that stuff!"

"Well Jake's married now and I doubt Leah would appreciate you calling her man out at all hours to fix some dumb crap like this."

"_If_ that's the problem," I muttered, feeling my way along the wall outside.

Shoulda brought a flashlight.

* * *

**He said**

* * *

I watched from the shadows of the guest bedroom, chuckling in glee.

Damn, though, her friend must've figured it out. I sipped thoughtfully at my beer, watching as Blonde Amazon shoved Bella aside and started fiddling with the circuit breaker. She was hot, in a man-eater sort of way.

The lights came on and I heard Bella shout something. They were headed back inside now.

* * *

**She said**

* * *

"Why would that have happened though?" I lamented, taking the food that had probably spoiled out of my fridge.

Rose shrugged. "I don't know; you might want to call an electrician down – make sure everything is working properly. If you're having power surges or if something's faulty that could jack things up."

I nodded, shutting the fridge door and washing my hands.

"What I don't understand, though, is the Vaseline. What was that?" she continued.

"I don't know," I said, tired. "You want something to drink?"

"You got rum?"

"And coke. But it's kind of hot."

"Whatever," Rose said, jumping down off the stool. She grabbed glasses, bendy straws and some mostly melted ice from the freezer and got to work.

The next morning there was trash all over the yard. I sighed, looking over at Edward's house as I retrieved my newspaper. Stupid idiot had forgotten to secure his trash again.

I was about to go back inside when something caught my eye.

Amongst all the refuse was an empty plastic jar.

Of Vaseline.

I was gonna kill him.

* * *

_don't forget to check out the Age of Edward site! info on my profile._


	16. Lick

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Slippery"**_

_prompt - lick_

* * *

Alice's bed was so snuggly. Sighing sleepily, I burrowed down deeper, not wanting to trade dreaminess for wakefulness.

"I know you're up," Alice whispered.

Opening one eye, I peeked at her. She was peeking back, still tucked into her blankets too.

"This bed is awesome," I mumbled, closing my eyes again.

"I know," she yawned. "I used to have a bunk bed when I was little but my parents hooked me up with this when I hit high school."

"What could someone as small as you need with a bed as big as this?" I laughed.

She snorted softly.

The house seemed quiet all around us and I kind of wanted to doze some more.

"So…what happened with Edward last night?"

I smiled; glad I was faced away from her. "We just talked."

"Mhm."

"I'm serious," I said, rolling over. "I hardly know him, Alice."

She just stared, her lips curving up the tiniest bit.

"He carried me around…and we had pancakes… and talked."

"I know."

"So what else is there?"

"Well, how you _feel_ for one," she said. "You like him, right?"

I paused, knowing full well the answer to her question. Admitting it would give it life though.

"Right?" she repeated.

"Right," I said after a moment. "It's not like it matters though. We lived pretty far away from each other. Even if Edward liked me I that way there wouldn't really be any point in starting a long distance relationship."

Alice frowned, rolling a little closer. "Why not?"

"Because," I huffed, exasperated. "That's a lot of trouble and a lot of feelings for something so iffy."

She nodded. "That's true."

We lay quietly, enjoying the warmth of her blankets.

"How's your ankle?"

"The same I guess." I shrugged, wiggling my toes.

"You sure you don't mind if we go ice skating?"

"I told you I didn't mind," I reminded her gently.

"I just don't want you to feel left out," she said, all worried looking.

"You drove all the way to rescue me from school so I wouldn't be alone. Nothing you do now could make me feel left out." I smiled, flicking her arm.

"Ow," she said, but she was grinning. "Okay then. Edward will be there, anyway."

I nodded, tucking my face beneath the comforter to mask my blush.

* * *

Alice got her brother to take us to Conway Arena, where everyone else was meeting up.

"You okay?" Peter asked, watching me ease out of the back seat with my crutches.

"Yeah, I'm good."

He jumped out and helped me anyway, which was slightly embarrassing but... oh well. By this point I was pretty much used to people assisting me.

"So you got a ride back, right Ali?" Peter asked, depositing me near the door. "Cuz I'm not going to be around later."

"We'll be okay. Thanks Pete."

I followed Alice into the rink and found a seat up in the bleachers. Most of her friends were already milling around the ice but the one person I really wanted to see – no matter how much I tried to tamp the thought down – wasn't there. Pulling a book out of my bag, I tried to get as comfortable as I could.

So absorbed was I in my novel I didn't see Edward until he sat down, straddling the bench so he faced me.

"Hey," I said, folding the corner of my page. "You just get here?"

"Few minutes ago."

His eyes were so incredibly green. We'd been pretty stoned the night before, and a little slanty-eyed. Today though, his eyes were clear. He was, if possible, even more handsome today.

Wow.

I was starting to feel shy all over again. This was getting stupid. I mean, I wasn't the gregarious type back in New York or even at home in Phoenix but I could at least carry on conversation. But Edward was so appealing I felt it in the pit of my tummy.

"You sleep okay last night?" he asked, nudging my knee with his.

"You know I did," I chuckled, thinking of how Alice and I had passed out in Edward's backseat, much to his and Jasper's amusement. "What about you?"

"Oh I crashed out when I got home." He tapped his fingers against the metal bench. "And I didn't want to get up today."

"Me neither. Alice's got the best bed, ever. It's so soft and warm."

"Down comforter?"

"Two. Top and bottom."

Edward let out a low whistle. "That's what I'm talking about."

"I'm spoiled now," I chuckled.

He nodded, turning his attention to the pick up hockey game below on the ice. Jasper toppled over as someone shot a goal.

"What was that?" Edward yelled, cupping his hands.

Jasper got to his feet and flipped him off, grinning widely.

"You sure you don't want to go down there?" I asked, messing with the spine of my book. "I'm okay, you know."

"You trying to get rid of me?"

"No," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Sounds like it," he teased.

We stared at each other for a second until I got uncomfortable and looked away.

"You got a boyfriend, Bella?" he asked playfully.

"Yeah, and he's a real hunk."

"A _hunk_? What is this, 1987?"

I laughed, punching him good in the arm. _Nice, Bella. When all else fails revert back to school yard flirtations_.

"So, you don't," he concluded, watching me intently.

"No I don't...I could've sworn you looked at my Facebook," I said, watching him sideways.

He smiled. Beautiful. Ugh.

"Yeah, I did. I looked at all your pictures too."

"Stalker."

"I know you looked at all mine, don't even front."

I blushed.

He laughed, slapping his knee.

"Don't listen to him, Bella," Jasper said, appearing suddenly. He sat on the bleacher bench below ours. "He ain't got a lick of sense in his head."

Edward smacked the back of his head and they bantered back and forth a bit. After a while Alice wandered up, sitting next to me, and then a few other kids until everyone was sitting around us. I sort of lost Edward for a while there, even though he was right beside me, but eventually he turned back to me and we resumed our silly little conversation about nothing.

It was this constant back and forth with him, the most blatant flirting I'd probably ever engaged in. And what made it crackle was the fact that we hadn't touched yet beyond the friendly stuff. He hadn't tried to hold my hand or toss his arm around me and we sure as heck hadn't kissed.

I mean, there was the whole piggyback thing, and occasional shoves and nudges and pokes but all that was kid stuff. Cute kid stuff. Stuff that let me know he wanted more and stuff that let him know I wanted more.

Bridging the gap was kind of scary though. We were Here, and it was comfortable Here.

But the wanting was so palpable. If I looked at him too long I got this peculiar pang in my chest and my hands sort of shook. I know he knew because he'd just barely almost smile and then look at something else, or he'd ask me a question – "Where are you most ticklish?" - and I'd know.

By the time we left the skating rink I was famished.

"Friendly's?" he suggested, walking slowly next to me as I made my way carefully across the slick parking lot.

"What is it with you and diners?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I like diner food."

Alice jogged over. "Um, we're gonna follow you guys okay?"

I smirked, seeing what she was doing. She was killing two birds with one stone, setting me up with Edward while she got some alone time with Jasper. I turned to Edward. "Is that okay."

He nodded.

"Just call me, okay?" I told Alice, squeezing her mittened hand.

Edward helped me into the car again and for the first time we were really and truly and fully alone.

"So…" he trailed off, looking at me expectantly.

"Friendly's," I conceded, buckling my seatbelt and settling back.

He plugged his iPod in, found a song, pulled out of the parking space and smoothly slid his hand over to my lap, threading our fingers.

So warm.


	17. Tapas

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline -** "Session"**_

_prompts - tapas_

_ "Just a spoonful," he said._

* * *

Wiping the back of my hand across my brow, I watched Edward and the band load the last of our things into the condo. Even Embry was there, lugging a nightstand or something through the front door. Our eyes met briefly and I gave him a small, grateful smile.

He smiled back, winking before disappearing again.

* * *

Edward and I were hot and sweaty and gross.

He thought it was dirty and sexy. I just thought it was dirty. I let him chase me around our new place, laughing as we tripped over boxes and bags and crap. And then I let him catch me, pulling on my pants as we tumbled in to the hallway. I fell to my knees with him right behind me, grasping and pulling and wanting.

* * *

Classes were starting back up again in a couple of weeks. I was craving that return to education, having had enough mind numbing secretarial work to last me a lifetime. I'd still go to the office a few days a week after class but it would only be for a few hours.

I wanted to have everything squared away with the condo by the time I returned to school.

It only took me three days to fully unpack. As soon as I got off work I drove straight home, where I'd then spend the next few hours cleaning and putting things away. By the time Edward came home on Thursday night our house had become a home.

"Looks great," he grinned, tossing his bag down. "I can't believe you got it done already."

We met in the middle of the living room. He bent to kiss me as I folded into his arms. "Messiness stresses me out," I said, kissing him all over his mouth. "I needed it to be tidy."

He nodded, kneading his hands into my back.

"Wanna grab a pizza for dinner?" he asked, watching me yawn.

I must have looked as tired as I felt.

"Definitely. You call; I'll be in the shower."

* * *

"So what're they called again?" Edward was hovering in the kitchen watching Alice and Rose assemble food for the housewarming.

"Tapas," Alice said, expertly removing several calamari and empanadas from the little deep fryer she'd brought over.

Initially I thought they'd brought too much food. Between their "tapas" and my cookies and things, I was sure we'd have leftovers. But as more and more of our friends showed up -mine, Edward's, _ours _– I realized Alice's estimations had been right on.

"You can start bringing these out," she said to Rose, who dutifully grabbed a couple of platters out to the living room. I followed behind her with small plates and an assortment of dips.

Edward was dragging his pinkie through the brownie batter when I returned to the kitchen.

"Stop," I cried, swatting his behind with a dish towel.

"Just a spoonful," he said, reaching for a spoon. "And that's it."

I made a face. "That's gross. You could get sick."

"I did it all the time when I was a kid," he argued, trying to get another taste.

"So did I but times have changed. You don't want salmonella do you?"

"No." He sounded pouty. I glanced over my shoulder; yep – he was pouting.

"Edward, stop," I laughed. "These'll be ready soon enough."

A loud voice by the front door drew his attention and he wandered off.

"Finally," I sighed, pouring the brownie batter into mini cupcake shaped molds.

I popped both them and the cookies in to the oven and helped the girls bring the rest of the food out.

* * *

The whole condo had a remarkable view. We were a few floors up, looking out over the softly swaying beach grass and the thick blue stripe of ocean just beyond.

As more of our friends and family showed, I gave them the grand tour. Each time I showed someone the breakfast nook and how it looked down onto the beach or the incredibly cozy bedroom I shared with Edward I was hit with how lucky I was.

I had a gorgeous boyfriend and a gorgeous place to live.

Even my mother had softened up. She'd spent a couple of nights hanging out with me, helping me decorate before Edward got home. I could tell she was warming to the idea of me being gone. It helped that she had Phil now.

It also helped that Edward was so charming. He'd gone out of his way to make her feel comfortable; reassuring her that he loved me... which of course melted me even more as well.

At the moment Mom was chatting it up with Esme, lingering over wine and tapas. Apparently they knew each other from around town but had never really been acquainted.

"I don't believe it," Rose muttered, sidling up beside me as I stood on the balcony with Seth.

"What?"

"The groupies are here."

"No way," I breathed, turning to look back inside.

Sure enough, Jess, Carmen and two other girls I didn't recognize were mingling near the front door.

Because we'd actually become friends I'd invited Kate and Charlotte, but these other chicks had some gall coming up into my home after giving the stink eye all week whenever the band was out practicing. Once it had become common knowledge that Edward was fully off the market I'd been subjected to all sorts of bitchiness. Not that I cared much. Between Kate, Charlotte, Alice and Rose I had my own table to kick it with.

The foursome studiously avoided me until finally Jess wandered over. I tensed, wondering what she was going to say.

"Hey Bella," she said, glancing around the living room. "You guys lucked out with this, it's really gorgeous."

"Thanks Jess," I said, trying my best to be sincere.

And gracious.

It wasn't too hard, actually; Jess wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer but she was far from the meanest of the bunch. No, that title might go to Carmen, who was now standing on the balcony with a beer and a band mate.

"Congratulations," she added, eyeing Edward as he walked over.

He looked at me, and then at her, then at me again, smiling like there was a joke he wasn't privy too. Jess turned pink and backed away, returning to her friends.

"What was that all about?"

"Nothing… she was just congratulating us on… everything."

He smiled down at me, running his hand through my hair. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Said we lucked out with this place."

He shrugged. "We make our own luck. We make things happen for ourselves, remember? Choices."

He tapped his index finger against my forehead. I took his finger and kissed it.


	18. Crackerjack

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Air"**_

_prompt - crackerjack_

* * *

"I want something sweet."

Edward raised an eyebrow and went back to reading.

"Edward."

He looked at me. I looked at him. He put his architectural magazine down.

"What do you want? Ice cream?"

"Candy."

"Lemon heads." He nodded and stood, grabbing his keys.

It was two in the morning. The truck rumbled through the quiet neighborhood streets; even Berkeley was silent at this hour. These were some of my favorite moments with him, when time was ours. Nothing to do, no one to see. Just being, alone and with each other.

Sometimes I wanted to hold his hand. But he wasn't that type.

And that was okay.

We rode to the nearest CVS, which was open 24 hours.

Inside we roamed the aisles, making our way to the candy section. I loved stores in the middle of the night, the way the fluorescent lighting and soft elevator music made everything feel safe and cheery, how the emptiness created this illusion of intimacy, like we owned the place. It was open just for us.

Edward grabbed a bag of Lemon heads, then another. My mouth watered just looking at it. I took a couple of candy bars and we went to the lone cashier, who checked us out with nary a glance.

Well, that isn't true. She looked at Edward a few times but who wouldn't? Even in the most mundane of circumstances he was something to look at.

In the car we ate candy and messed with the radio. His wry smiles at my excitement over good eighties tunes, my inner giddiness when he sang quietly along to love songs.

"So you're leaving soon," he said.

We'd parked up near Grizzly Peak. The lights of the Bay twinkled quietly, orange stars in an urban universe.

"Yeah."

"You're glad to go," he stated, crunching a candy between his teeth.

"I have mixed feelings," I admitted, unwrapping my Snickers.

"Why?"

I glared at him in the dark. "I'm happy to go home, see my parents and all that. I love Christmas. But there are people here I'll miss."

"Like who?" he teased. I could see him smiling, looking straight ahead.

"Like Rose. And my sociology professor," I said, rolling my eyes.

He held out his hand for chocolate. "Rose is okay."

I nodded. "I love Rose."

"I didn't like her at first – "

"Few people do."

"–but I get her."

"She's sort of like you," I realized, giving him my candy bar. "No nonsense."

"Is that how I am?"

"Usually. When you're not teasing me into admitting I'm going to miss you when I'm gone."

His fingers were in my hair then, and he tugged me gently closer. I scooted across the seat and leaned against him, my heart expanding when I smelled his smell.

"You ever been skiing?" he asked, his breath warm and chocolate.

"I'm from the desert, Edward."

"Okay, okay, no need to be touchy."

"Oh, I can be touchy," I purred, extra seductive and extra silly as I snuggled even closer.

"Mhm. Anyway, Riley and I are thinking of going to Lake Tahoe in January. We're getting a group together. You should come."

"I'd like to."

"I can teach you to ski."

"You're good at it?"

"I'm good at everything," he joked, grabbing my hand because he knew I'd pinch him otherwise.

"A real crackerjack on the slopes," I simpered, earning a tickle.

"So we'll go. When do you get back?"

"The second."

"We'll leave the third."

He kissed the top of my head and I loved him.

* * *

My flight was December twenty third, at seven o'clock in the morning. This meant I had to be at the airport at the most ungodly of hours. Thanks, Mom.

As usual, Edward had to be up early that day anyway. I'd forced him to stay at my place for once. We were in bed; I was packed and dressed and ready. The cab had been called.

"I want you before I go," I said, sitting up.

His eyes fluttered, wanting to close and not have to open. "Mkay."

I unbuttoned his jeans and started yanking them down.

He lifted his hips, smiling sleepily.

"I want you on top."

He shook his head. "Nope. You're running the show."

I took my jeans and panties off and straddled him, lowering down so I could kiss him. His hands tangled in my hair, then slid down my back so he was cupping my behind. We kissed and kissed and when I felt him get hard I sat back, watching him closely as I put him inside.

I waited for him to stop me, to put something on, but he didn't. I was on the pill. We'd done the doctor thing, not together, but we'd done it. Still. I paused, giving him time to stop me. Our eyes met and he grabbed my waist, pulling me down so that we were together-together.

We loved slowly, lazily, until he sat up and turned us over so that he was over me. There was something extra sexy somehow about doing it half dressed, all sensations focused only on the places we were interlocked. Alice knocked on the door, saying the cab was there. Edward released into me with a quiet grunt, his rough fingers soft as he held my face, kissing me.

I called for Alice to stall the cab and I rushed to clean up, knowing we hadn't chosen the best time to go bare.

Outside, it was freezing. The girls kissed and hugged me at the door, Alice promising to call when she got in to Phoenix that night. Edward put my bags in the trunk and gave the driver money even though I had enough in my wallet.

"I'll miss you," I said. There was a lump in my throat. I wanted to hold it back until I was alone in the backseat, en route with headphones in my ears.

"I'll miss you too, Bella."

The drowsiness was gone from his face, his eyes were wide open and serious and so green. I remembered the first time I'd noticed their color, how almost-startling it had been.

He kissed me softly, running his tongue just barely against mine, something warm in the cold outside.

* * *

_have you guys started writing your one shots for the Age of Edward? please tell me you have! i can't wait to read them. :)_

_details and links on my profile..._


	19. Focus

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

storyline - "Embrace"

prmopt - focus

* * *

**She said**

* * *

Rose paused, her fork in mid-air. Always a dramatic one, she was. "What?"

"It was him. He has some sort of vendetta against me. I'm serious," I said, feeling the anger bubble through my veins again.

"What? Why?" She asked, finally taking her bite.

Taking a deep breath I launched into my story – and my theory as to why my neighbor would pull such a prank.

I couldn't murder Edward- that was illegal and would weigh my conscience – but I could make his life a living hell. Oh, yes. That I could do.

It had all started with the trash. Our neighborhood had an issue with raccoons getting into it and time and time again Edward's would end up scattered not just in his yard, but in mine. I couldn't understand why he didn't just buy a garbage can with a tighter fitting lid. Or why he didn't just do what I did and take it to the curb early in the morning instead of putting it out the night before.

Then there was the nude sunbathing, God help me. Thankfully I'd only caught glimpses of his backside but still. There were his friends who came over at all hours and parked in front of my house when there was no more space in front of his. The weird, pungent smells, almost like chocolate and skunks.

But I'd put up with it.

Until the day I'd woke him up with my gardening. Granted, it hadn't been my intention at first but when I saw his sleepy little face I couldn't help myself. All those times I'd gritted my teeth and dealt with his garbage – literal and figurative –came to me and I just had to exact a smidgeon of revenge.

Only now he'd done it back, much worse.

Rose was silent for awhile after I'd finished speaking. She took another bite of Caesar salad, chewing thoughtfully. Finally she brought her eyes to mine. "You know what you need to do, right?"

"Get back at him?"

"Damn skippy."

"But how?"

"I went to summer camp for nine years straight, honey child. I have my methods."

I stood and walked to the kitchen window, the one facing Edward's house. He didn't appear to be home.

"You do want to, right?" Rose pressed.

Shrugging, I turned back to her. "Yes. Even if it is juvenile."

Rose smirked, joining me at the window. "Hey, he started it."

* * *

**He Said**

* * *

I drained the last of my beer, amused at Emmett's laughter and bright red face.

"You're an idiot," he gasped finally, trying to get a grip.

"Yeah, well, she had it coming."

"Still… " He lifted his bottle and clinked it to mine. "To a job well done."

"For sure."

It had been a full day since I'd pulled my pranks and Ms. Priss had yet to make another appearance. I felt good, like maybe peace and chillness were once again within my grasp. Things had been just perfect before that neurotic woman had moved in next door and now maybe they could be that way again.

"You coming by for that game?" I asked, leaving money on the table as we stood.

Emmett nodded. "Yeah, why not."

* * *

**She Said**

* * *

"Focus," Rose snapped, flicking my ear.

"Ow! I am focused, dammit!"

"Good. Now, which days do you usually see him out there?"

"I don't know, Rose! It's not like I keep a schedule of when he decides to, to be a pervert!"

She cocked her head. "Is he cute?"

I guess my stupid blush tipped her off because she leapt off the couch, clapping. "Ha! So now, tell me. When. Does. He. Tan?"

"Saturdays, if it's not cloudy," I mumbled.

She grinned, biting her lip.

"This is not going to work," I hissed, my heart pounding anxiously. "He'll probably catch me and… and I don't know!"

"Shush," Rose said, swatting at me. She straightened, adjusting Alice's jumpsuit. "He'll never know."

"You can so do this," Alice said, nodding vigorously. "I'll keep him out front for as long as I can but you'll have to hurry."

I wiped my sweaty palms against my jeans.

"Let's make sure he's still out there."

We jogged upstairs and sure enough, there was Mr. Nudey Pants, soaking up the rays in his backyard.

Alice pinched me. "Ready?"

"Yeah," I croaked. We went back downstairs, where she went out the front door while Rose and I crept out the back.

I peeped through a crack in the wooden fence separating the two yards. On cue, Edward sat up, obviously having heard the doorbell in the front of his house. Cursing lightly, he quickly pulled a swimsuit on and jogged inside.

"Now!" Rose whispered, hoisting me over.

I was so nervous I felt like I would surely puke. I ran over to the glass of whatever he had beside his lawn chair and dropped the two Dramamine in, then ran back to the fence.

Crap! How the hell was I going to get back over?

Panicking, I looked around for something I could stand on, but there was nothing.

"Rose!" I whispered.

"What?"

"I can't get back over!"

She was quiet. Not a good sign.

"Well… I guess you're gonna have to sneak alongside his house and as he comes back you'll have to go up front. He'll never see you."

"Oh my gosh but what if he does?" I cried hoarsely. Why, oh why had I let Rose and Alice convince me to do this?

At that moment I spied big, ugly planter by the porch. Without another thought I lugged it over and climbed up, scrambling over the fence again. I landed with a soft crash.

"That was close," Rose commented. "Alice is already on her way back."

I nodded, still on the grass, trying to catch my breath and calm my heart.

Minutes later we were all back upstairs, staring from my bedroom window into Edward's yard. If he'd noticed the planter, he hadn't reacted.

"So you said you've taken Dramamine, right?" I asked.

Rose nodded.

"How long do you think he'll be out for.?" Alice asked.

"Hours. Let's see what kind of a _tan_ he has tonight."


	20. Goonies

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

storyline - "Slippery"

prompt - Goonies

* * *

Snow fell lightly, the sun was setting, a soft gold sphere in a cloudless sky. I turned my face toward the window, not wanting Edward to see how beatifically happy holding hands made me.

I'd been holding back a little, trying to temper my feelings with practicality, but when he took my hand in his like that any caution I'd had evaporated.

My fingers were cold. So were his. But together, in my lap, they were burning.

"You're so frigging cute when you smile," he said after a minute, and I could hear the smile in his voice.

He totally called me out.

I leaned on the headrest and finally looked over at him.

The apples of his cheeks were pink.

"You're so frigging cute when you blush," I teased.

He chuckled, shaking his head. He really was though. So frigging cute.

It was the most ridiculous, and most wonderful moment. Ever.

"So you gonna let me carry you into Friendly's?" he asked, pausing at a stop sign.

"No!" I laughed. "That's gotta stop. No one carries me back home, you know."

"Yeah, I know. Maybe I should pay someone down there to do it. Or transfer."

I rolled my eyes. "Haha."

"Nah, it's cool Bella. I'm not trying ot embarrass you."

"You're not…"

He gave me a look.

My fingers squeezed his involuntarily. "Okay, it is a little embarrassing but only because people look and I don't really know anyone… besides you and Alice, I mean."

"Eh. No one cares, really." He pulled into the restaurant's parking lot, winking at me when he let go of my hand to unbuckle his seatbelt.

He didn't carry me but he was at my door in seconds, helping me out and onto my crutches. With the exception of Jasper and Alice, who were right behind us, we'd gotten there before the rest of the group.

Alice jogged over to help Edward help me, and soon the four of us were tucked into a little booth inside.

"I love booths," I admitted. "They're so cozy."

Edward reached his arm around, resting it behind me.

I pretended not to notice but I so did. Alice, sitting on my other side, elbowed me knowingly.

I elbowed back, refusing to look at her.

"Heeeeeeeeyyyy yoooooouuu guuuuuuuuuys!"

Startled,I nearly dropped my menu. I glanced up to see the huge guy I'd been introduced to the night before - Emmett - lumbering toward our table.

Alice giggled.

"Idiot," mumbled Edward, but I could tell he was amused.

"Damn, what's this, some exclusive little party, all up in the VIP booth?" Emmett teased, pulling a chair up from a nearby table.

"No, Goonies, feel free to join us," Jasper snorted.

"How you doin', Bella?" Emmett asked politelty, smiling.

"I'm great, thanks," I said, smiling back. We'd met my first night in town at the apartment and I had to admit, he was one of the funniest, most genuinely nice individuals I'd ever met. He was clever as hell too; I got the feeling a lot of people got sucked in by his dumb jock type persona only to be had by him one way or another.

Like at the rink, more and more people showed up, filling the tables immediately around us. Everyone liked Edward , that was apparent. I sat watching and listening as he joked around and chatted it up with everyone, but always bringing me back into the conversation.

He rested is hand lightly on my knee, filling me with a kind of excitement I could barely explain. It was almost as if he wanted to reassure me he was there, even if he was talking to someone else. I'd never really had this beofe. He almost felt like, like _a boyfriend._

After the servers had cleared our plates, Edward leaned closer, his syrupy breath warm at my ear. "Want to share a sundae for dessert?"

"I'd like to, but I'm super full," I groaned, settling back into my chair.

"We can get it to go," he offered, waggling his eyebrows.

"Um, sure?" I shrugged, knowing the ice cream would be gone before it could even melt.

But he was persuasive. Ten minutes later an ice cream sundae was set before us and we dug in.

* * *

That night in bed, I lay awake, staring into the dark. I couldn't stop thinking about Edward and what it would be lke when we were back at our respective schools. Spending all of this time with him had far surpassed my expectations and darn – I really liked him!

If he actually liked me the way I liked him, the way he acted like he did, maybe there was hope for us.

My phone vibrated beneath my pillow and I pulled it out, turning away from Alice's sleeping form.

Edward had sent me a text.

I read it and smiled.

"_You gonna kiss me before you leave?"_

* * *

_**So, a couple people seemed a little concerned about last chapter's prank on Edward. I'm just going to say right now that the Embrace storyline is probably THE most facetious, ridiculous one I have ever written, about as close to like… crack fic or something as I'd ever get. I know what the ramifications would be were people to do these things in real life.**_

_**This is not real life.**_

_**(I've taken Dramamine by the way. My kid's taken it. you fall asleep and wake up. I was tempted to have them give him immodium, but decided this was more fitting seeing as he loves to tan naked.)**_

_**It's supposed to be over the top and screwy. Every chapter is going to get worse so either buckle up or get out of the car. *hugs you all anyway***_

_**That said, please do not mimic any of the pranks portrayed. As if you would.**_

_**Seriously.**_


	21. Whiteboard

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

storyline - "Slippery"

prompt - whiteboard

* * *

I bit my lip, smiling at the words glowing back at me in the darkness.

_I would've kissed you today._

Holding my breath, I pressed send, wondering what he'd think of that. I could just imagine his amusement.

The next day was Saturday. Honestly I was surprised he was asking me this now; if anything, I'd have expected him to ask me right before I left, kind of pulling a sly little move. But no: he was just laying it out there, putting the ball in my court.

He was so confident. Not quite cocky, just confident. I dug it.

Sure enough, the phone vibrated almost right away.

_You need to come out asap, crutches be damned._

Muffling a laugh, I quickly responded.

_Not trying for a break here. Sprain is bad enough._

_Fine fine. Can't say I didn't try._

_Will I see you tmrw?_

_Later on. have to run errands for my mom_

I sighed inwardly, trying not to let disappointment sully my mood. I was here for Alice, after all, and to see her hometown – not just to run around with Edward.

As fun as that sounded.

_Hello?_

Yawning, I typed back.

_I'm here. Tired. Hope to see you tmrw tho._

_You will :)_

_Ok. Good night._

_Night, Bella._

Tucking my phone underneath my pillow, I curled on to my side and fell asleep.

* * *

Alice had somehow woken before me and slipped out.

I sat up, yawning and blinking in the soft morning light as I swung my legs over the side of the bed.

She'd jotted a note to me on the whiteboard hanging off the back of her door.

**_Jogging w/ Mom. See you in a bit._**

Grimacing, I hobbled out into the hallway and to the bathroom. Only Alice would choose to do strenuous exercise after staying up late the night before.

After managing a shower, I combed my hair into a ponytail and returned to Alice's bedroom. She'd come back while I was in the bathroom and was perched on her bed, one leg dangling off the side.

"How was the run?" I asked, leaning down carefully to grab my duffel bag.

"Good. I love jogging when it's cold out."

"Apparently," I laughed, collapsing on to the bed so I could get dressed. "Not me. I like sleeping when it's cold."

"Apparently," Alice teased back, poking me.

We chatted awhile about school and the classes we'd chosen.

"So," she said, and I could just feel a subject change coming, "what's up with Edward? You like him, huh?"

Shrugging, I ducked my head. "Yeah. Like, probably more than I should."

"Why do you say that?" Alice asked.

"Because. We live so far apart. I knew that when I got into this, I don't know why I'm even trying to explain…"

"And what's "this" exactly, anyway?" She made air quotes.

"You're seriously asking me to define my feelings for Edward?" I snorted. "What about you and Jasper?"

"We have… an arrangement," she said vaguely.

"What, hang out when you're both home and see other people when you're on campus?"

She turned a little red. "Basically."'

I didn't think that was too wise a plan but I kept the thought to myself.

"Later" turned out to be not that late at all.

Edward, Emmett and Jasper picked Alice and me up around two.

We drove to some park. It was freezing out, but really pretty, especially bits of with melting snow all over.

Edward and I sat back, watching the others make fools of themselves.

"You want to go for a walk? There are some pretty trails around," he said.

"Sure."

We walked slowly around, making quiet small talk. I couldn't remember the last time I simply talked with a guy for so long. From the moment we'd met to the present, it had been a near constant exchange of information, flirting and non-touching that felt like touching.

Edward paused, then stepped even closer to me, backing me against a tree. The cool air made our breath come out in puffs.

"So… you gonna?" he asked, his eyes lingering on my mouth.

I nodded, leaning more fully against the tree before letting go of my crutches. They fell with a little clatter.

"Or I could," he murmured, pressing closer. For the first time the front of me was in contact with the front of him. I shoved my shaky hands into the pockets of his jacket, staring up into his amazing green eyes.

He brushed his lips against mine. He pressed them, then opened them.

I kissed him back, my heart grateful and pounding.

He grabbed my hips and pushed me back so I was held against the tree. I sort of gasped into his mouth, clutching at his shoulders.

He nudged my face to the side and kissed all down my neck before returning to my mouth, his tongue sliding and warm and delicious with mine.

Kisses became kissing.

Edward finally backed away, adjusting his pants. "You're gonna be the death of me," he whispered, nibbling my earlobe.


	22. Star light, star bright

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - "Slippery"_

_prompt - "Star light, star bright"_

* * *

"Why do you say that?"

He stepped close again, like he couldn't decide if there should be space between us or not.

"Because. We met two days ago and I'm sort of freaking out you'll be gone tomorrow night."

Relief washed over me.

And then sadness. Because he was right. "Me too."

He bent his head, kissing me once more, slower this time. I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair, liking the way it slid so soft between my fingers. His nose was cold, and I felt it every time he brushed my cheek with it. His mouth tasted good.

"Want me to drive you guys back?" he asked suddenly, breaking the kiss with his words.

I wanted to tell him he didn't have to do that. But that was such bull because really, he knew he didn't have to. He wanted to, and I wanted him to. He watched me, probably knowing what I was thinking from the expression on my face.

"Yeah, I would."

"Then I will."

"When are you driving back to Boston?" I asked, closing my eyes and rubbing my cheek against his.

"Monday morning. If I can get out… my mom gets clingy around this time."

"Aww," I grinned, looking at him. He was so cute. His poor mother.

"Yeah, yeah. You'd think she'd be happy to be rid of me but no."

Shivering, I slipped my hands back into Edward's jacket pockets.

"I shouldn't even have you out here like this," he said, looking concerned. "It's freezing; your cheeks are bright red."

"Maybe that's from you," I teased.

He smirked. "Yeah, right."

We kissed again and might have continued had a snowball not com and smashed Edward's arm.

"Emmett!" he growled, shaking his head.

Sure enough, Emmett's hysterical laugh rumbled through the leaves. "Cockblocked by McCarty, suckas!"

I bit my lip, giggling at the ridiculousness. Alice and Jasper emerged from the trees, smiling at us.

"Seriously. Get a room," Emmett continued, bending down to scoop more snow into his hands.

But Edward was faster. He handed me my crutches and threw together a snowball in seconds.

"Em."

Emmett looked up as a snowball sailed right into his face.

* * *

Understanding that Edward and I craved time together, Alice and Jasper dropped their remaining pretenses as buffers. Anyway, they wanted to be alone too.

So, after eating at – you guessed it – another diner (a mom and pop shop this time) we separated, promising to reconvene at twelve

There wasn't all that much to do in Nashua. We drove around, and he showed me hang out spots and things their group of friends had done in high school. It wasn't a small town, per se, but a heck of a lot smaller than Phoenix. I kind of liked its mellow feel, like the way the roads curved and wound around, the way the now leafless trees hugged each corner.

"Do you want to catch a movie?" he asked, slowing as we neared the cinema.

"Sure." I shrugged, nodding.

He pulled into the parking lot and we made our way slowly indoors, breathing a sigh of relief at the warmth and the smell of popcorn.

In the darkened theater, I let out a laugh.

Edward helped me with my crutches and we sat down, balancing all the junk food we'd just bought.

"What?"

"Feels like we're back in high school," I admitted.

"Well," he emptied a handful of popcorn into his, mouth, "technically we've only been out of high school for a few months."

"I know. But… I like this. This is what it would've been like…" I trailed off, glad the darkness was concealing my fiery cheeks. What was it about him that made me so trusting? I wasn't going to see him for God-knew-how long after the next day; I should be guarding my heart not laying it out there.

But he swallowed and smiled. Took a sip of soda. Put his arm around me like he seemed fond of doing.

"This is what it would've been like," he assured me. "I would've taken you to prom, too."

"Who'd you go with?"

"Jessica Stanley."

Jealousy gripped my gut. I hadn't realized… "Oh."

He watched me, still smiling. "We went as friends, Bella. It was never even like that."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me," I lied. "We barely know each other." I paused, frowning. "Wait, I don't mean it like that – "

"I know what you mean. And no, I don't have to explain but I want to. I want you to know me."

"Why?" I whispered. It all felt too good to be true.

"Don't know. But I want to know you too."

The lights dimmed further and the previews stated, silencing our conversation.

On the armrest between us, our buttery fingers entwined.

* * *

Alice seemed pleased that Edward was driving us. She finally gotten Jasper to agree to the trip, too. I liked Jasper, really, but I was having a rough time figuring him out. When he was with Alice, it's like his eyes shone for her. But when they were apart, Alice never mentioned him. At all. There were no pictures of him stuck above her desk – back at Hofstra or here in her home - and no whispered late night phone calls when we were in bed.

And now that we were headed back he seemed reluctant get into the car.

"What is with him?" I asked Alice, as we stood in her bedroom. She swept her eyes across the floor, making sure we hadn't forgotten anything.

"He's mad at me," she said finally, turning off the light.

"Why?"

"He wants me to stay."

I blinked, surprised. I'd always assumed that Jasper had been the one with the upper hand but perhaps it was Alice.

"Why… doesn't he …"

"He goes to school here. Community college. His mom couldn't afford to send him anywhere else."

"I know how that goes," I sighed. Had it not been for my full scholarship, I'd be stuck in Phoenix.

"Yeah… we sort of just…agreed. That it would be best if we didn't, like, strain our relationship by doing the long distance thing. No expectations, no disappointments." Her voice wavered.

"But it's not working, is it?" I asked softly, letting her help me down the stairs.

"No," she cried quietly.

I felt awful for her, but we were just about downstairs and the boys were right outside. She wiped her eyes and ducked into the downstairs bathroom while I continued on to the front door.

Edward and Jasper were chatting with Alice's mother in the kitchen. They turned when they saw me.

"Where's Ali?" Jasper asked, looking behind me.

Maybe my face said it all, because his shoulders sagged and he edged out of the kitchen to find her.

Edward shook his head, reaching for my bag on the ground. "They do this every time, I swear."

I hugged Alice's mother, who was starting to cry too, and headed out to the car with Edward.

Being winter, the sun had already gone down and I gazed up at the sky, looking to see if any stars had come out yet. I loved this time, when the night was still soft, the blue going deeper as it rose higher.

"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight."

Edward leaned forward, kissing my cheek. "What are you going to wish for?"

I took his face between my hands and kissed him soundly.

I didn't say it out loud, but I thought it, hoping that was good enough.

_I wish Edward and I could make this work._


	23. Lace

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline -** "Sessions"**_

_prompt - lace_

* * *

Time sped up now that Edward and I were back in school. Some days we were so exhausted from classes and commuting that we barely had the energy to kiss each other good night. The stack of take out menus in our kitchen grew.

Because Edward was working on his Masters now, he'd enrolled in the two year program at UW's College of Built Environments. It was located in Seattle, which meant at least two and a half hours on the road both ways, but it's what he'd wanted – even from before we'd met. It's a good thing, too. Had I thought he was doing all that driving because he wanted to live near me I'd have been eaten up with guilt. It helped that he'd also set up an internship of sorts at his father's firm and had several online classes so he didn't have to do the commute five days a week.

As for me, I'd completed my two years at Grays Harbor Community College and was now a junior at UW Tacoma. I had to do a lot of driving too, but my trips weren't quite as long as Edwards. Once or twice a week our schedules coincide closely enough that we could ride together and I loved that. I told him we needed to plan a road trip sooner or later; I loved just being in the car with him.

Despite the hectic nature of things, those days were so memorable, so wonderful. Sure, we were running around like crazy but like my mother so often reminded me, it was just a season. Life was comprised of them, she said. Times of building and times of breaking down, seed time and harvest. Edward and I had our moments and when we did, they were incredible.

I felt good knowing that I was working toward a goal. Each day I went to campus, I knew that it would all culminate one day in me being a teacher. Before, I'd been floating sort of aimlessly, making the best out of each day. I'd been happy for sure, but definitely lost. Having purpose changed things.

And it wasn't just the mental peace that choosing my career had brought. It was Edward, knowing he was the probably the One. The knowledge sat deep inside, making me flutter when I thought about it. We didn't talk about marriage or anything, but our plans always included one another, regardless of how far ahead in the future they were.

For Thanksgiving my mom and I joined Edward at his family's house. It was awesome having everyone we loved under one roof like that. I missed my dad though; Edward still hadn't met him yet. We decided to head up to see him the following weekend, just for a day or two.

* * *

"You sure you got everything?" I asked, for probably the seventh time.

Edward looked at me, raising his eyebrow in amusement. "Babe…"

"I know, I know – I just don't want to forget anything."

"We'll be gone for three days. Even if we did forget something I think we'd survive."

I nodded, knowing he was right but stalling. I was having a rough time subduing the nervousness.

My father, though I didn't see him much these days, had always been an important part of my life. We chatted via email on a regular basis, so he knew I was seeing someone, but until recently he hadn't realized how serious Edward and I actually were. Knowing Charlie would likely panic, my mother had suggested I wait to tell him that Edward and I had our own place. She wanted him to meet my boyfriend, deem him worthy first.

I wasn't so sure that was the best idea but she, technically, know him better than I did. So I went along with it. I sort of wished he was coming down to Ocean Park, where I'd at least have y mother and Phil as buffers. Oh well.

"We're not going to get there when we said we would, Bella," Edward warned, jingling his keys impatiently.

"All right." I grabbed my purse, made sure my phone, keys and wallet were inside, and followed him out. We'd already put our overnight bags and snacks in the car; all that was left to do was gas up and hit the road.

Despite being late November, the day was bright and beautiful. It was cold, but at least the sky was blue. Every now and then I begged Edward to pull over so I could catch a quick shot of something pretty.

After long last we entered Clallam County. My father had lived in Forks for most of his life and I'd visited him a lot, spending entire summers with him when I was younger. This town felt even smaller than mine did.

While it was tempted to stay at one of the little inns in town, we opted to stay with Charlie and his wife Sue. She was home when we arrived, and welcomed us with open arms. Apparently Charlie had run to the store to pick up a few items and would be back shortly. I was relieved; at least we'd have a chance to settle in a bit.

I'd always liked Sue. She had a real direct personality, like my father, but unlike him was soft around the edges. They complimented each other quite nicely and I'd have been lying if I said I didn't have similar hopes for my mom. She was a contented person, regardless, but I'd seen how much happier she was with Phil.

"We'll be eating soon, Bella," Sue said once we'd come back downstairs. "You guys thirsty?"

"I am actually… "

She gave me a knowing grin. "Coke?"

"Sure." I smiled. Some things never changed, apparently.

"Edward?"

"I'll have a Coke, too. Thanks."

"No problem, honey." She squeezed his arm affectionately.

Edward grinned at me as Sue walked away. She definitely liked him.

* * *

I pushed away from the table, almost uncomfortable with the amount of chili I'd just consumed.

"That was…"

"So good," Edward finished for me, his too-full expression mirroring mine.

"Aw, finishing each other's sentences!" Sue cooed, genuinely thrilled.

I blushed. Edward fidgeted. My father rolled his eyes.

Thankfully, things had gone smoothly. I could tell he wasn't thrilled about our living arrangement, but he definitely seemed to approve of Edward. It helped that Edward was ambitious and forward thinking, and that he obviously cared for me, loved me. He liked that Edward had his career lined up with his father's firm, and that it was something he was not only adept at, but passionate about.

My father wasn't quite as stoic as he appeared; still waters ran deep.

Soon the conversation turned to the classed Edward and I were taking at our respective schools.

"So you just gonna keep on doing that drive?" Charlie asked, frowning.

"Well, not forever…" Edward glanced at me quickly before refocusing on Charlie. This was a conversation we'd broached a couple of times but it had never gotten too far for one reason or another. "Eventually I'll… we'll probably have to move in to the city."

My heart jumped. That seemed like a logical next step, but something about it seemed so definitive, so final somehow.

We sat around talking, enjoying each other's company and Sue's coffee cake until it got late. Now that he knew we were actually living together, Charlie didn't try to suggest Edward and I sleep separately. Besides, I was twenty now. In my father's eyes I'd always be his little girl, but he could see that I'd made my choices. He wasn't in denial over my growing up and I respected that.

My childhood bedroom had been made in a study, with a pull out couch. Sue helped us set it up and then she and my father turned in, promising we'd do something nice the next day.

Edward and I took turns in the tiny bathroom and then snuggled into bed, craving one another's warmth. He ran his hand under my shirt and over the skin of my back, then down into my pajama pants, his fingers playing with the lace trimming my panties.

"Were you a naughty girl in high school?" he whispered. "Do you sneak out boys in or sneak out?"

"No," I breathed.

"Can you be very quiet?"

"Yes…"

* * *

_**Age of Edward**! Entries can be submitted now - details on my profile..._


	24. Tattoo

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

storyline - "Embrace"

prompt - tattoo

* * *

**He said**

* * *

"Just do it, man," I growled.

Emmett cringed, squirting a glob of green after sun gel on to his hand. I'd covered as much of my body as I could, but there were some places I couldn't reach, like the center of my back.

Hence, Emmett.

He quickly slathered my back and then scooted away, as if I'd asked him to eat worms or touch a live wire. "I think you're good now."

"Thanks," I mumbled.

Our eyes met and I sighed, seeing how freaked out he was by my sunburn. Thankfully I'd been facing down when I'd fallen asleep; I couldn't think of anything more painful than a sun burnt swizzle stick.

My ass, however, was on fire. Just because Seattle wasn't known for its sunshine didn't mean there wasn't any. It's there all right, lurking behind the clouds, waiting for some poor bastard to fall asleep naked in his back yard.

"So what're you gonna do, man?" Emmett asked as we walked downstairs.

"Wait to peel," I said. "And stand up while I use the computer. I'm glad I don't have to go to a job like this."

"I told you not to do that crap man, I knew it was going to bite you in the ass sooner or later," he said, cracking up at his choice of words.

Rolling my eyes, I grabbed a beer and then the bottle of tequila. If there was ever a need for pain relief via alcoholic haze it was now.

I took two shots, chasing them with beer. Emmett, who was in no pain or discomfort to speak of, also took two shots and then promptly fell asleep on the couch.

Watching him pass out made me wonder, for the fiftieth time, how the hell I'd fallen asleep for so long outside. That had been a first for me – I rarely even dozed out there. And when I'd finally come to? Groggy as hell. I'd even considered briefly that I might be coming down with something but when no new symptoms appeared I'd tossed that.

It didn't matter, anyway. There wasn't anything I could do about it now except for take cool showers, reapply aloe gel, and sleep on my stomach.

And stay out of the backyard.

* * *

**She said**

* * *

Sunday passed way too quickly. Before I knew it, evening had come and I was preparing for the week ahead. Since I only had a couple of dishes I opted to wash them by hand instead of the dishwasher. It just so happened that the window above the sink faced the side of Edward's house. Most of these houses were similar; it was possible that the window I was looking at might be his kitchen window too.

After…_ sedating_ Edward, I hadn't so much as heard a peep from him Saturday night or even all day Sunday. I wondered how he was doing and what, exactly, his condition was. A sliver of guilt squirmed through me but I stamped it down. He'd started this whole mess; I was simply responding.

I tried not to think of his cute butt and how it was probably currently seven shades of red.

A loud squeal startled me from my thoughts and I glanced up again, toward Edward's.

A tall, voluptuous brunette was emerging from her car, adjusting her tiny denim skirt as she stood.

I huffed in disgust. _So_ classy.

Edward was standing close by, apparently whispering something. I watched as they went onto his house. Yep, he was definitely walking stiffly.

Drying my hands, I turned from the window and left my kitchen. I had several things to type up for the next day and I might as well get them out of the way before it got late.

An hour later, I was cursing my printer out. Damn thing had run out of ink. Grabbing my purse, I jogged downstairs and out the door.

Someone was blocking me in.

I looked up the street and sure enough, several cars were all jammed into Edward's driveway, in front of his house, and now in front of mine.

Gritting my teeth, I marched to Mr. Party Pants and rapped sharply on the door.

The door swung open but it wasn't Edward. Instead, a lumberjack of a man peered down at me, smiling. He had a Pac-Man tattoo on his arm and he smelled like beer and marijuana.

"Neighbor chick?" he questioned.

I frowned. "Bella."

"Oh, right. Hey Bella."

"Hi…"

"Emmett."

"Emmett. Listen, is Edward here? Or better yet, do you know who drives that?" I pointed to the car parked at the end of my driveway.

He shook his head slowly, scratching at his beard. "Naw, can't say that I do."

"Well, can you find out please? I need to run an errand!" I snapped. Were Edward and his friends all like this? Their own breed of ridiculous?

He dug into his pocket and grabbed a set of keys. "Here. Take mine. I drive the jeep."

I took a deep breath. "Thank you, but I really just want to drive my own…"

Suddenly Edward appeared behind Emmett. "Bella? What do you want?"

"I want you to tell who ever drives that car to move it. Please. And thank you."

He eyed the car, making a face. "You've gotta be kidding me."

I brightened, thinking he was seeing it my way. "I know! They just…parked there. I mean, couldn't they have found – "

"Bella. Do you seriously have to go somewhere right now? Because, I mean-"

"I told her she could take mine," Emmett interrupted, once again dangling his keys in front of my face.

"It's the principle of the thing!"I cried, snatching the keys.

I whirled around on the porch, spying Emmett's jeep. And… the car blocking it.

_Count to ten, Bella. Just count to ten._

"Oh well," Emmett was murmuring as I turned back around. I shoved his keys at him and pushed past into Edward's house. There weren't as many people as there had been at the party, but there were a good few. I saw Skimpy Skirt up ahead, holding on to Edward's arm. And him, wincing.

I gasped, bringing my hand to my mouth. The back Of Edward's neck and ears were bright pink. So were the back of his calves. Red, even.

Oh man.

He turned, saw me, and rolled his eyes.

"Bella, I don't know whose car it is. It'll take me forever to find out. Can it wait? Whatever you have to do? Or can you just… I don't know, take Emmett's – "

"Emmett's car is blocked in too. Come on, I need something for work!"

He scowled and stormed off. I was used to him being a lot more easy going but I guess severe sunburn had its way of ruining a guy's day.

A minute later he brushed by me, holding a key chain. He motioned for me to follow him.

"Look, I'm sorry you had to leave your party for like five seconds but you know your guests shouldn't be parked in my driveway," I said.

He ignored me. How rude. I waited until he'd backed the car out of the driveway before motioning for him to roll down the window.

"What now?" he sighed, still scowling.

I couldn't help it. I was so sick of everything: his craptastic attitude tonight, his easy going stupidness the rest of the time, the pranks I know he'd pulled, his general lack of consideration, how green his eyes were, how firm his now-probably-blazing-ass was…

"You might want to put some _Vaseline _on your sunburn," I sneered. "I hear it really helps."

With that I turned and jumped into my own car, not bothering to wait for a response.

* * *

**He said**

* * *

I watched her peel out.

I… couldn't believe what I'd just heard. Was she saying she knew it was me with the Vaseline? And how'd she know I was sunburned? I touched the back of my neck tenderly, hissing at the soreness. She'd probably noticed the redness when she was in the house just now.

Right?

I parked Jasper's car nearer to my house and got out, still thinking about Bella.

Em appeared in the doorway. "Everything squared away?"

"Yeah." I squinted at him. "I … I think Bella knows something."

"About what?"

"The Vaseline."

He burst into laughter, slapping his leg. "Ha, you idiot!"

I shook my head. Something just wasn't sitting right. Could she have… done something to me? To make me sleep? I'd felt drugged when I'd awoken, but it hadn't seemed plausible at the time. Looking back though, I'd passed out soon after draining my iced tea.

Nah, impossible. Ms. Priss was anal but she wasn't crazy.

Was she?

I looked through the window, at her house.

Yes. Yes, she was.

* * *

Two a.m.

Em and I had already toilet papered Bella's back yard a little earlier.

I finished emptying the contents of my compost into a paper bag and checked to make sure Bella's was still dark before creeping across the yard.

First I covered the handle to her car door with Vaseline. You know, since she obviously loved the stuff so much.

Then I placed the warm, bulging, pungent brown paper bag outside her front door and pressed the doorbell.

Twice.

I was safely back inside when I heard her open her door.


	25. Citrus

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline -** "Air"**_

_prompt - citrus_

* * *

The dry warmth of Phoenix was a welcome change of pace from the Bay, which had been particularly drizzly in the days before I left.

It was good to see my parents. My mother picked me up from the airport, bubbling over with questions and family news. She had the week planned out, from the relatives we'd host to the pies I'd have to Google recipes for. One thing about my mom: she lived for entertaining but she couldn't cook or bake for her life.

The ride home from the airport was a little surreal. Things felt different - the houses, the trees, even the colors; it was a lot more sun bleached than what I remembered. It was home, though, and the familiarity of my neighborhood streets soon made my heart ache with nostalgia.

I spent the remainder of the day unpacking and chatting with my mom, and when my dad got home I caught up with him until we both started to nod off. I took a shower and snuggled into bed. My childhood room was pretty generic these days, as most of my personal things were either with me in the Bay or put away in the attic.

I'd texted Edward when I'd landed but by the time I fell asleep he hadn't responded, to my slight disappointment.

* * *

My phone was ringing.

I rooted around my purse, hoping it was Edward.

Alice and I were at her house, lounging by the pool. The sun was high in the sky and I'd just rolled onto my stomach when the phone rang.

My heart skipped a beat as I squinted to read the caller ID: Edward.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey yourself. How's home?"

"Good. I… missed it more than I realized."

"I can imagine," he said.

"How about you? What are you up to today?"

Alice stood, holding out her hand so I'd give her my empty glass. I watched her retreat through the sliding glass doors.

"Working. I'm trying to finish a few things up since we'll be gone for a couple of days in January," he replied. I could hear the sound of machinery behind him.

"Makes sense," I said, adjusting my bathing suit bottom. "So… what were you guys up to last night?"

He chuckled. "Checking up on me?"

"No," I laughed back. "But you didn't text back, so..."

"I was out playing pool with Em and Jasper. Rose was with us, actually."

"Oh, nice." A twinge of longing pulled at me; I missed him.

"Yeah… listen, I have to go, get a few things done. We're working through lunch today."

"All right." I tried to push away the disappointment. "Thanks for calling back."

"You don't have to thank me."

Why did everything feel so awkward? Ugh, sometimes I hated talking on the phone.

"Bella?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry I didn't respond to your message last night."

"It's okay."

"Not really. I should've. Anyway, I do have to go now. Have fun with your family, okay?"

"Okay. Miss you," I said, feeling how acutely underwhelming the sentiment was.

"Miss you too."

We disconnected and I dropped my phone back into my purse.

Feeling like crying, I stood up, letting the sun kiss me for just a moment before I dove into the cold blue water.

* * *

My parents were hosting Christmas dinner, so by mid day our home was filled with family and close friends.

One of my cousins had gotten married in the time that I'd been gone. I knew she'd gotten married –we'd all been invited –but they'd done it in Scotland so very few family members had actually attended. Not that I hadn't tried to finagle a ticket out of my father.

Anyway, Elizabeth was expecting now. I watched in fascination at how different she seemed, her hand often hovering near her already-swelling belly. Her husband was so attentive, too, and what I once would have found clingy and annoying I now found endearing. They were like one unit now, in a really complementary way.

Then there was Bree, a girl I'd grown up with. Her parents and mine had always been close, even when the two of us had grown apart. We'd always been okay, though, despite having different friends in school. After dinner she and I sat around talking and sipping on wine, sharing college stories. Apparently she was dating some amazing guy that she just couldn't stop going on about. He'd left to visit family out of state but called her all the time.

As I described my relationship with Edward, I couldn't help but feel like maybe I was missing something. Bree seemed supportive and happy for me, clasping my hands in excitement when I told her the story of how we'd met and all that, but it dimmed in comparison to what she had.

It was dumb; I knew it was. Every relationship is as different and unique as the people in them. I loved who Edward was and for the most part I understood his ways.

But that was part of the problem. I loved him. And I couldn't tell if he loved me. It had been nearly seven months.

Time tables are arbitrary… but emotions aren't. I knew how I felt and sometimes his aloofness threw me off. I realized I wanted the attentiveness and the phone calls.

I wanted the hand holding and if that wasn't who he was then I wanted him to prove to me in _other_ ways that we didn't need it because what we had went beyond it.

He cared about me a lot, that was apparent, but I realized I wanted proof of love.

His Merry Christmas text came later that evening, when I was watching a movie with my parents. My fingertips hovered over the letters but I couldn't respond. I felt too churned up inside.

Maybe I was being childish and insensible, who knew. I hadn't exactly had a lot of men in my life before; the things I'd done and felt with him were mostly firsts for me. Thoughts of how he kissed me and touched me, of how it felt when we made love inundated me. It certainly felt like we had something special.

I knew one thing though: if Edward and I were at such different points in our lives that we wanted different things relationship-wise, it might be wise to have The Talk sooner than later.

No matter how much the thought made my stomach hurt.

* * *

I lay on my back in the backyard, my legs propped up one my mother's lime tree. After a trip to Florida the year before she'd decided to tropicalize the property with everything from a tiki bar on the patio to various citrus trees lining the backyard. As kitschy and campy as it had sounded over the phone, I had to admit it was really cute in reality. Very colorful and welcoming.

"Okay, now give me your other foot," Alice commanded, tapping my leg.

I carefully lowered my leg and rested it on her lap. She'd gotten a henna set for Christmas and was experimenting on me. It looked fabulous, of course. If I tried to paint something with henna it would look like a five year old had done it.

"I like it," I said, wiggling my toes as I admired her handiwork.

"Thanks. So, go on."

We'd been discussing my recent epiphanies about my relationship with Edward.

"I guess…" I paused, gathering my thoughts, trying to find the best words. "I've never ever felt like this before. I mean, I love him. And I'm afraid that I'm just going to keep on falling in deeper while he just maintains this easy going, cool as a cucumber…thing. I know he likes me – "

" – he more than likes you," interrupted Alice. "I'm just saying."

"Well, maybe he does. But I need to know. Because… I don't want to get hurt. That sounds stupid; we all get hurt at some point but I don't know if I can handle it with him."

"I understand," she said gently, holding my foot still.

"So… I feel like we'll have to talk about it when I get back."

"Like on the ski trip?"

"Maybe." I shrugged. "I don't want to ruin things… I could wait until we get back afterwards…"

"It doesn't have to be something horrible," she said. "You're good with words and he's a smart guy. Just… tell him what's on your mind."

"Easier said than done."

"I know," she sighed. "But if you're feeling like this it's going to bug you until you say something. You know that right?"

Nodding, I gazed at the designs on my ankle and foot. Alice was right.

I wanted to get back now more than ever.


	26. Smoke

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Air"**_

_prompt - smoke_

* * *

Alice and I had the same flight back to Oakland. We weren't sitting together, but the man sitting next to me didn't seem to mind switching with Alice. Having been up late the night before saying our goodbyes, we were both a little more exhausted than we'd have liked and ended up dozing on the plane.

The plane hit the runway, jarring me out of my half conscious sate. Instead of feeling refreshed I was even groggier. I elbowed Alice, rousing her as well. That girl could sleep through a war.

We texted Rose to let her know we'd landed and then caught BART to the Rockridge station, where she was finishing up a shift a local pizza joint. Hunger won out over sleepiness and we pigged out on spinach mushroom deep dish while filling Rose in on the latest. Ironically she'd spent quite a bit of time with both Edward and Jasper because of Emmett.

She seemed surprised when I brought up my upcoming talk with Edward, but not because she didn't agree with me.

"I've often thought that about him," she said, shrugging. "Not that I should talk. Em says getting me to express myself is like pulling teeth."

"How's that for a switch?" Alice laughed, grabbing another slice. "You're pretty chatty with us."

"Yeah, but that's you guys. Talking about feelings with my boyfriend is a whole different story. It makes me …I don't know. I hate being vulnerable like that."

"Emmett's great, though," I said softly, staring into my Coke.

"Which is why I talk to him at all," Rose sighed. "But you know how long that took."

I nodded. It had taken Emmett awhile to break Rose's barriers but once he had they'd become quite the duo. Rose had dealt with an abusive father at a young age, and though she'd gone to therapy and even volunteered with a local group for abused kids, she was still a tough nut to crack. She didn't trust people easily, most especially men. It didn't help that she was probably the prettiest I'd ever seen that wasn't a movie star or something; she was forever getting unwanted attention.

But the bottom line was that she knew what I was going through. She understood.

"Give him a chance to explain himself before getting all weepy," she smirked.

"I'm not going to get weepy!" I scowled, tossing down my napkin.

She arched her eyebrow as if to say oh really?

"Jeez. It's not like we're… we're breaking up or something. I just want to have a heart to heart."

"I know, but Edward's a hard-ass," Rose said.

Alice smacked her arm. "You're not helping. Bella, just say whatever it is you need to say. It'll be fine."

* * *

His phone rang so many times I thought for sure it would go to is voicemail, but it didn't.

"Hello."

"Hey… Edward. It's me. I'm back."

"I know," he chuckled. "You've been back; I was beginning to think you weren't going to call me."

It surprised me that he'd remembered what time my return flight was.

"Yeah… Alice and I met Rose to eat and then we caught a cab home."

"Cool, cool. So how are you? Glad to be back?"

"I am. Oakland definitely feels like home now," I said honestly.

"You ready for tomorrow?"

My stomach flip flopped. "Yep."

"Good. It's about a three and a half hour drive so we'll be by to pick you up around nine. We're taking the Navigator because it has extra seats," he said. "I think Jasper wants to go and if he goes you know he'll want to bring Alice."

"What Navigator? Whose is it?"

"Mine."

I frowned. "What?"

"It's mine but I usually let Riley drive it. The truck is more useful for my line of work, you know?"

"Makes sense. So I'll see you tomorrow then," I said, the now familiar feeling of disappointment flooding through me. Confused as I was, I'd still hoped to see him.

"I got a bunch of stuff to do before tomorrow. Let me know if there's anything you want me to grab before we leave, okay?"

"Okay."

"And Bella?"

"Hm?"

"I missed you."

Such small words, but it meant a lot to me. I swallowed back the lump in my throat, wishing I wasn't so emo at the moment. Maybe I was getting my period.

"Missed you too."

Not seeing Edward that night turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I was more exhausted than I'd thought and after unpacking, doing laundry and then packing again I passed out.

* * *

Alice woke me the next morning. "C'mon babe. It's already eight thirty."

"Crap. Didn't set my alarm," I mumbled struggling to sit up.

"I figured. Hurry, go shower." She was already dressed, her hair wrapped in a towel.

I hurried through my morning routine, and had just shoved the last of a granola bar into my mouth when the buzzer for the outside gate went off. Alice let the boys in.

I still had such a physical reaction to Edward. Seeing him this way suddenly reminded me of the first night we'd met, and how intimidated by his presence I'd been. He was so self-assured, so handsome. His eyes crinkled when he saw me and he crossed the room slowly, pulling me into a hug.

"Hey."

I wrapped my arms around his middle. "Hi."

We embraced for a second and then he leaned back, tilting my chin so he could kiss me.

My heart raced. I really, really loved him. I hoped he felt the same.

The ride up to South Lake Tahoe was pretty fun. Riley and his new girlfriend Vicki rode up front while the rest of us took the back. I'd never been to Lake Tahoe and I was captivated b the natural beauty. It was breath taking.

And cold. I was grateful for the winter wear Rose had lent me for the weekend. She was staying behind in the Bay, mostly because of her job and Emmett. I didn't doubt they'd make their own fun, though.

Edward and Riley had made reservations at a bed and breakfast called the Black Bear Inn. It was rustic and lovely luxurious, and everything I'd imagined Lake Tahoe would be. Several guest houses sat nestled amongst the deep green trees, smoke rising from their chimneys.

We checked in and separated to go to our rooms, agreeing to meet back in the Great Room in half an hour.

I was starting to get anxious again. Now that we were here I was going to have to figure out the best time to do this, to have this talk. I tried not to psyche myself out but it was hard.

Turns out, Edward had plans of his own. "C'mon, Bella. It's time to teach you how to ski."

* * *

Hours later Edward helped me limp back to our room.

My ass was sore and I was chilled to the bone. I was sure that I'd be black and blue when I stripped for a bath.

Still, my attempts at skiing had been fun and exhilarating. And Edward was really sexy on the slopes. I wanted to strip him down, too.

"You go first," he said, steering me toward the bathroom once our boots and outwear were off.

"Can't we go together?" I asked through chattering teeth.

Edward hesitated, and then nodded. He started the water while I got undressed. I was exhausted, but also aroused by the steam and hot water, and by Edward. We washed and kissed inside the tub but when I reached for him he twisted away.

I knew he probably just wanted to be comfortable – if his limbs were anything like mine after a day of skiing he probably had the shakes –but my lack of confidence concerning his true feelings just about boiled over. Biting my lip viciously, I blinked back tears and climbed out of the tub.

I dried off quickly, wanting to be out of the bathroom when Edward came out. He followed me into the bedroom, not bothering to fully dry off. Shivering, I tightened my towel and started fumbling with the fireplace, adding wood.

Edward came over and stoked it, his towel hanging off his hips, the water glistening atop his skin.

Out of nowhere I started trembling, so bad I could hardly stand it. He glanced up at me, his mouth open like he was going to say something. He shut it when he saw me. And frowned.

"Bella?"

I backed toward the bed and sat down.

"I have to talk to you," I said, in a voice much smaller than I'd meant to have.

"That doesn't sound too good," he said, laughing uneasily. He came and sat next to me but I scooted back a little, needing some space if I was going to get this out.

Why was I so nervous? We'd been dating for months!

"I … thought a lot while I was gone," I began, unable to look at his face. If I did, I'd either lose my nerve or start crying again. "I realized some things."

He stayed silent; I guess waiting for me to continue.

I picked at the duvet, willing my shakiness to go away. "I need to know what I am to you."

He took a while to answer. "What are you really asking me, Bella?"

"I'm asking what I mean to you. Because I know what you mean to me, but you're incredibly hard to read. Sometimes I feel like you're one of the people I'm closest to but then other times it's like… it's like you're someplace else."

He brought his eyes to mine. So pretty. So green.

"You scare me, Edward."

"Why?"

"Because I love you, and I don't know if you love me." I looked down again, not wanting him to see my tears. The last thing I needed was to be involuntarily manipulative, a crying girl begging for affirmation.

He got up and for a second I thought he was going to leave, like get dressed and just go somewhere else. But he didn't. He drew the curtains so it was a little darker, gazing outside as he did so.

"You don't have to be afraid, Bella," he murmured, coming back to me. "I care about you, a lot. I always have. You caught me by surprise, how fast you became part of my life." He scrubbed his hands over his face. "I'm just… not that guy. I don't know who you want me to be."

He wasn't being sarcastic or cruel, just achingly honest.

My pulse finally started to even out a little. I wiped the back of my hands across my eyes.

"I want you to be you," I said.

His warm hands were on me then. He pulled me up off the bed and took both my towel and his and dropped them on the floor. Then he led me around to the side and peeled the covers back and brought me inside the warmth.

I let him kiss me, my love and need for him almost overwhelming, even though questions and thoughts were racing through my brain. He nudged my legs apart and started to slide against me.

"Do you?" I whispered, and his face was blurry.

"Yes," he said, his mouth at my ear. "I do. I love you."


	27. Pond

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Slippery"**_

_prompt - pond_

* * *

The drive back to New York was actually pretty pleasant and uneventful. Edward and I chatted up front, keeping the music at a relatively loud volume to give Alice and Jasper, who were cuddling and talking quietly in the back, some semblance of privacy.

The snow had stopped, leaving the side of the road and trees blanketed in white. We stopped just once at Dunkin Donuts – per Alice's request –to grab hot lattes and donuts and then continued on our way.

The best part of my trip to Nashua was that Edward and I got the chance to know one another. We'd had conversations that had spanned hours and I felt confident that we'd be able to easily keep in touch, even if we decided to hold off on exclusivity until our situation was more conducive to it.

Of course I was hoping for the romance though. I just wanted to be prepared for whatever we decided when all was said and done. Edward and I had discussed the pros and cons of dating long distance and after seeing what Alice and Jasper were going through we wanted to make sure we made the best choice.

Jasper and Alice carried our stuff to the dorm room while Edward carried me on his back.

"Do you want to grab dinner before they have to leave?" Alice asked.

Truthfully, I was a little tired. I looked at Edward, who didn't look like he wanted to go either. "I think we'll just relax here… but you guys can go ahead."

Edward tossed his keys to Jasper and they left.

"I'm exhausted," he confessed, lying next to me on my narrow little bed.

"Me too. "

I reached over and docked my iPod, turning it to a mellow song I liked.

"So you're going back to BU soon, huh?"

"Yep. And I have that snowboarding competition coming up in Colorado soon too."

"Will it be televised?" I ask, easing on to my side so I could look at him.

He nodded. "I can… let you know what channel when I find out."

"Yes. Promise me you will."

"I promise."

"So you're really good, then?"

"Yeah, I guess." He shrugged. "I mean, I was the best in Nashua but that's like… being a big fish in a small pond you know? It's a different story competing against the best of other cities and towns."

I suspected he was being modest and I told him so. "I saw your pictures, remember. And the trophies…"

He reached over and loosened my ponytail, gently pulling the elastic from my hair. "What are you good at? You said before you liked photography ….writing…"

"You'll laugh."

"No, I won't."

"Okay." I took a deep breath. "I've always wanted to work for National Geographic. Travelling, writing, taking pictures… that really appeals to me."

"Oh, wow," he said, his eyes widening. "That's incredible. So you'll major in journalism?"

"And minor in English. I'm still sort of fine tuning what classes I want to take…"

"We have time."

"Exactly."

His eyes wandered my walls, gazing at the pictures and collages I'd put up. "Hopefully I'll see your hometown one day."

My heart fluttered. "I'd like that."

A weighted silence fell over us. We didn't have too much time left. He and Jasper had to drive back to New Hampshire not too long after Jasper returned from dinner.

"When do you go to Colorado?" I asked, pushing my hand through Edward's hair. It was so soft.

"Last week of January. Why?"

"I… I was just wondering when we'll be able to see each other again." My voice wavered a little. I hoped he didn't notice.

He cupped my cheek, making me look at him. "The drive from Boston to here isn't that bad. It's actually really doable. Can you imagine if I'd gone to school in Nevada like I'd originally planned?"

I shook my head, smiling. He hadn't really answered my question though. I decided not to pressure him. He liked me, that was obvious. If we were fated to have something real, then I was going to have to trust that it would happen.

Yeah, right. The practical part of me, the part that needed to control things, wasn't too content with leaving things to chance.

"What're you thinking about?" he asked, scooting a little closer.

My heart skipped a beat, knowing in a second we'd be kissing. "You and me."

"This?" He pressed his lips to mine, kissing me gently but firmly.

"Yeah…and other stuff…"

He kissed my ear and then my neck, making me squirm. "What stuff?"

His mouth was scrambling my thoughts.

"I wish…"_ kiss_ "… I want to…" _kiss_ "I don't think I'm gonna want to see other people."

He grinned crookedly, taking my breath away all over again. "Then don't. We won't. We'll see if we can do this, okay? It's worth it, I think…"

Such simple little words made my heart soar.

I let his tongue inside my mouth, sinking my fingers into his hair, keeping him close. He rolled carefully on to me, making sure not to crush my injured ankle.

I felt my breathing quicken. This was definitely the closest we'd ever been.

He seemed to realize it at the same time because he pulled back a little and looked down at me. "This is okay, right?"

Smiling, I nodded. I probably looked loopy and lovesick, but I didn't care.

We kissed awhile longer, growing in intensity until I pushed him away.

"We… should stop. For a second."

"Just a second," he agreed, winking as he fell back to my side.

"I really don't want to," I admitted.

"Me neither, but you're right." He reached for his phone, which he'd rested on the night stand. "What… Jasper texted me?"

"What's up? They okay?"

Edward frowned, reading the message. "They're getting a hotel for the night."

"What?"

"I knew something like this would happen," he groaned, messaging back.

Any excitement I should have felt at the prospect of having Edward stay the night with me was overshadowed by his annoyance. He had to get back home to begin packing and saying his own goodbyes. It was unfair of Jasper and Alice to pull this, even if they were having a rough time being apart.

"That sucks," I said eventually. "I know you need to get back…"

His phone beeped, signaling another incoming text. Edward read it, and then put his phone aside. "Oh well."

"They're really staying? What did you tell him?"

"To be back before nine tomorrow. And that he's paying for the gas to go back."

I sat up, brushing my hair from my face. It had gotten a little wild during our make out session.

Suddenly things felt a little overwhelming. We were spending the night together, I guessed.

"I'm, uh, I'm going to take a quick shower. I'd offer you something to sleep in but we only have girl stuff."

Edward snorted, helping me off of the bed. "I think I'll be okay, Bella."

I blushed. "Okay."

I hurried through my shower and quickly changed into my pajamas and brushed my teeth. Edward was looking at one of my old photo albums when I emerged from the bathroom. The tension between us was palpable. It wasn't that I worried we were going to go too far, it's just that I liked him a lot and our chemistry was kind of crazy. Just being near him made me jittery, in a nice way.

"I have an extra toothbrush under the sink if you want," I offered.

"What, you saying I have bad breath?" he teased.

"Shut up," I laughed, shoving him as I plopped onto the bed. "You know what I mean."

He stole a kiss and went into the bathroom.

Sighing, I settled back beneath the covers, thankful for the first time that my bed was so tiny. It would guarantee cuddling.

Edward came out. He checked to make sure the lock to the front room was locked then turned off all the lights before climbing into bed with me.

"Sleepy?" he asked. His hand brushed the elastic on my pants on its way to my back.

"Very," I whispered, pulling myself closer to his body.

We kissed until we fell asleep.

* * *

_two things: _

_a) Age of Edward! such an awesome contest! details and link on my profile. i can't wait to read these entries - this is the contest that got me writing last year. i ADORE it._

_b) color me surprised, but someone (very sweet, very kind) nominated my story Volition for an award for the Twilight All Human Fanfiction Awards. i've never been nominated for anything before, so i am very touched. _

_that's all! :)_


	28. Shards

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline -** "Embrace"**_

_prompt - shards_

* * *

**She Said**

* * *

Luckily, the stench of whatever was in the paper bag stopped me from actually stepping in it.

Reaching back into the house, I flipped the porch light on.

And oh… my goodness. He'd TP-ed my yard.

I couldn't even…

No.

But I couldn't give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Shutting the door quietly, I marched to the kitchen and grabbed a plastic bag so I could dispose of the rancid whatever Edward the Ass had left. Once that was taken care of I washed my hands and went back to bed. I'd handle the toilet paper in the morning.

* * *

Rose paused, her sandwich mid way to her mouth. "You're kidding me right?"

"I wish."

"That's so amateur," she said in wonder, finally taking her bite. I had to wonder if she was secretly enjoying this battle of the neighbors.

"Rose."

"What? I'm thinking."

"I was ready to let things go but now he's just pissed me off all over again," I complained, stabbing at my salad.

"Easy there," Rose sighed, taking my fork and putting it down. "The cherry tomatoes shouldn't suffer for Edward's stupidity."

"There is toilet paper all over my yard!"

"Alice and I will come by after work to help you clean up."

I nodded, picking up my fork again. "Thanks."

"This is wearing on you, isn't it?" Rose asked suddenly.

I shrugged, chewing. "I'm tired of it. He's a weirdo though… he'll probably never stop."

"You could be the bigger person and just end it now."

"And let him win?" I cried indignantly. "No way!"

Rose rolled her eyes. "You just said it's going to keep going back and forth."

"You were all too happy to help before," I pointed out.

"Yes and his childish little pranks haven't even come close," she smirked.

"No, they haven't, but they're still irritating as hell."

We ate quietly for awhile. We wanted to leave nastiness on my porch, did he? I contemplated leaving shards of glass on his.

But no, that would be gory. And probably illegal. Come to think of it, most of my revenge fantasies concerning Edward were a bit on the violent side. Something about him brought out the worst in me.

"I should just tape his door shut so he can't leave," I said.

Rose raised an eyebrow.

* * *

It had taken us hours to get the toilet paper from my trees.

Hours.

Alice had to leave first, saying she had a couple of errands to run before going home.

Edward's two friends, the ones I saw the most, pulled up. The big beefy one, Emerson or whatever, couldn't take his eyes off Rose. Big surprise.

"Do you… need help?" he asked, looking up while standing directly below the ladder.

_Perv._

Rose on purpose by mistake dropped the box she'd been using to collect the paper.

"Whoops," she said dryly.

But Lumberjack just gazed back in awe, not seeming to mind gauzy strips in which he was now covered.

"I'll take that as a yes?"

"You got another ladder?" she asked.

"I can get one…"

"Emmett!" Edward's voice roared from the upstairs window. "What. The hell?"

Emmett looked sheepishly back at Rose, then at me. "Peace."

"That's the one I was telling you about," I mumbled.

"Hm. Too bad he's kinda cute."

"Rose…"

"Okay, okay. Let's just finish."

* * *

**He Said**

* * *

Emmett slunk by, pretending not to notice my glare.

"Dude."

He held up his hands. "I was just – "

"- getting distracted by a little T&A. Yeah, I know how it is. But have you forgotten you actually helped me TP the place?" I snapped.

He rolled his eyes and got a beer out of my fridge. "I think, maybe, you and Chick need to call a cease fire. You're always in a mood."

"Am not."

"Are too," Jasper said, grabbing beers for him and me. "I mean, is this supposed to be fun? Because you seem awfully stressed out."

"Whatever." I topped back my beer, taking a long swing. "All I know is that I had a nice, peaceful life here before Bella showed up. I want it back."

"And you think non-stop hijinks is the answer," Jasper teased.

I shrugged.

"Just… do what you gotta do but don't ask me to help anymore," Emmett said, grabbing a Wii nunchuk off the table. "Now where's the new game?"

I tossed him the case and returned to the kitchen, where I watched the girls climb down from their ladders.

I'd leave Bella alone, sure.

Right after tonight.

* * *

**She said**

* * *

Three a.m.

There hadn't been movement from the house next door for hours. Armed with my roll of extra strength Gorilla tape, I went out the back door and stole across the yard separating our homes.

Ten minutes later, I stood back, satisfied. Edward's door was now taped shut so good he'd have to climb a window to get out.

Or… use the back door but I wasn't going to get into all that.

I tiptoed down the steps and sprinted silently to my house, gloating inwardly on a job well done.

So smug was I that I didn't even see him until I hit a wall of flesh and screamed.

It screamed back. "AAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!"

I started punching and kicking the prowler with all of my might when all of a sudden he grabbed me.

"Bella!"

I froze, panting. "Edward?"

He let go, doubling over in the dark. "What the hell are you doing out here?"

"Me?" I screeched, still trembling. "What the hell are _you_ doing? Creeping around like a weirdo?"

"Um, hello!" He yelled, waving his arm around. "You're doing the same thing!"

I squinted up at his hand. "What are you holding…?"

He didn't even have the decency to hide it. "Same thing you're holding. Apparently."

Gasping, I shoved him aside and jogged up my steps and to the front door…

…which was taped shut.

"Son of a – "

"Nice. Real nice!" he yelled from his front door.

* * *

**He said**

* * *

"I hate you," she snarled, coming back down her steps. "It was my turn, you idiot."

"Oh. So you admit to playing along, Miss Priss? Because – "

"Freeze!"

We both froze, startled by the bright lights blinding us.

The cops were back.

"Is … there a problem, Officer?" I asked, wondering if I should put my hands up.

"I should be asking you that question," the policeman said, coming closer. "There have been several calls of prowling and disturbances coming from these properties. Care to explain?"


	29. Paper Hearts

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - "**Sessions"**_

_prompt - this was a picture prompt: a buch of little hearts, cut out of atlas paper._

_as you might be able to see, this plot is winding down. just a few more for these two..._

* * *

I sat glumly on the edge of the bed, watching Edward pack.

He was attending an architectural conference out of state – something for school this time. It was an awesome opportunity, and something he totally needed for his Master's, but I couldn't deny that I was going to miss him like crazy.

Four long days.

Of course, there had been life before Edward. It's not like I'd given up my friends. On the contrary, I hung out with the girls all the time, and even Edward's. They were my friends too.

Edward blew his hair out of his face. "That about does it. Walk me to the door?"

"Of course," I murmured. I'd wanted to drive him to the airport but his flight was insanely early. There was no way I'd be able to take him and then be back for my own classes.

He hauled me off the bed and into his arms, peppering my face with kisses. "I'm gonna miss you."

"Me too," I sighed, sagging against him. Crazy how we'd become such a unit. The end of December had marked our six month anniversary and honestly, it felt like no time had passed at all. People said you had to work hard to make relationships healthy and long lasting, but things with Edward were kind of easy. He was like my best friend and lover all rolled into one.

I'd gone through a brief phase of worry, wondering if and when our days of bliss were numbered, but that had worn off. The honeymoon period had mellowed into something really sweet and really real.

Tightening my grip on Edward, I tiptoed to kiss him. He smiled into our kiss, tickling his tongue against mine.

"Love you," I said once he'd pulled away.

"Love you," he echoed, kissing my nose.

He grabbed his bags and I followed him through the condo and outside, down to the car. It was so early the sun had just barely begun to peek over the horizon, bruising the sky with the deepest and most beautiful colors.

We kissed once more and then he got into his car and drove away.

I turned to go back inside, grateful that our separation was only temporary.

We had a good thing.

* * *

"That was hilarious," Alice giggled, still riding high from movie popcorn and the comedy we'd just watched.

"Yeah, it was," I agreed, linking my arm through hers. It felt good to laugh and be silly.

"Ugh, when is the cold going to go away," she groaned, snuggling closer.

"I like it," I said, shrugging, loving how my breath frosted the air.

"Not me. I'm a summa-time girl."

"I know you are." I squeezed her arm and we hurried to her car, parked on the edge of the lot.

"You have hot chocolate?" she asked once we were inside, the heat on full blast.

"Of course. I even got you marshmallows."

Alice squeed, clapping.

"You're so easy to please," I snorted.

"Yep. Now call Rose. See if she's still coming."

Rose had agreed to sleep over at my place as well, after her mystery date. She wouldn't tell us who the guy was, only that he was "just her type". I took that to mean big and buff but, who knew.

"She already texted. Said she'll be over later, and that she has a new shot for us to try."

"Hey guy's a bartender, right?"

I nodded. "Apparently."

We chatted all the way back to the condo, and once again I was glad that I'd never put my best friends on the back burner over some guy. Not that Edward was just "some guy", but I sincerely believed that one of the reasons our relationship was as balanced as it was, was because we maintained other parts of our lives as well. Together and as individuals.

This didn't make me miss him any less when he was gone, but I appreciated it.

"Bella?"

"What?" I pulled my wool socks on and padded out in my pj's.

Alice was holding up a tiny paper heart.

"What's that?" I asked, taking it from her.

"I don't know… I found it with another one by the bottle opener."

Frowning, I stepped into the kitchen to examine the other heart. Like its mate, it appeared to have been cut out of an atlas. One had part of the word "Belgium" on it; the other said "France."

A warm feeling blossomed inside my heart. I began opening drawers, gasping like a goon each time I found a new heart. Alice caught on quickly and for the next twenty minutes or so we ran around like little kids, searching room by room.

Drawers, cabinets, closets, under rugs, behind the coffee maker… they were everywhere.

By the time we collapsed on the living room carpet, we had handfuls.

"Edward is," Alice panted, emptying her hands so the hearts fluttered down, "by far the most romantic guy I've ever encountered. I'd hate you both if I didn't love you so much!"

I nodded quickly, swallowing back the ginormous lump in my throat. "I know…"

She saw the shiny eyes, though. "Awww, babe!"

"No, it's okay," I laughed, waving her away. "I'm just really…touched. Overwhelmed. Whatever."

"I would be too," she said softly, running her hands through the hearts.

Ireland, Sweden, Madagascar, Italy, Malta, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Barbados… it went on and on. I sniffled when Hawaii popped up.

I got up and walked to our bedroom, where my phone was still in my purse. There were no new texts, other than the one Edward had sent earlier to let me know he'd landed in Colorado. But that had been hours before.

_"Your hearts make my heart so full it could burst_," I typed.

His reply came as I walked back into the living room, clutching my phone.

"_Keep my hearts safe, I left them with you_," he wrote back, and I snickered at the awesome cheesiness.

One more text came through before I had the chance to respond, though, and it was so sweet I nearly cried. Again.

"_and just so you know, I plan to love you in every one of those places._"


	30. Spoon

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Air"**_

_prompts - spoon, glasses_

* * *

It was dark when I woke up.

Slowly, experimentally, I stretched my legs, extending them beneath the heavy blankets. I was sore all over, inside and out. Parts of me I'd only known about in theory were now aching for real.

Edward stirred beside me. I turned to face him; his features become visible as my eyes adjusted to the dark. Sleep softened his face, erased the crease between his eyes, formed from frowning and squinting in the sun. I touched my face there and felt a little wrinkle of my own, albeit softer.

_Give yourself a couple of years, Bella_.

I was soft and wrung out, physically and emotionally drained. We'd had plans to meet the others for dinner in the dining area – I'd been told the Black Bear Inn was known for its seasonal, gourmet fare –but obviously we'd slept through it. No one had called, though, either. They were probably as exhausted as we were.

Although probably not for all of the same reasons.

So Edward loved me. I believed him when he said it; he wasn't one to speak indulgently or use words to placate feelings. If anything he was honest to a fault.

The thing was… he'd had my heart for quite some time now. I'd just never really let him know. There was plenty of I Like You and I Miss You but I Love You kind of catapulted us into a different stratosphere altogether. All of the proverbial cards were on the table.

It wasn't that I was afraid he'd act differently now that he knew the extent of my devotion, it was that I worried he _wouldn't_. I didn't ever want Edward to be someone he wasn't, but I hoped sincerely that who we were really were, now that we'd come to this place in our relationship, was right for one another. It seemed so effortless for some people, like Alice and Jasper. And even Rose, for all of her stubbornness, was a good match for Emmett.

I'd fight for something amazing with Edward; he was worth it to me. I just hoped he'd fight, too.

Peeling back the covers, I slipped out of bed to use the bathroom. The fireplace was still burning but it had mellowed to a dim flicker and I was chilly. I hurried back to bed as quickly as possible, shivering.

"You cold?" Edward mumbled.

"I'll be okay," I whispered, curling into a ball.

"'s not what I asked," he said, and I felt his hand on my hip, pulling me closer.

I scooted over, lining my body up with his, and kissed his neck.

He sighed, his arm tightening around me.

Suddenly I was on top of him. He tugged the blankets up over us and held me tight.

"You feel good," he said.

I wiggled, a little surprised to feel that he was hard. We'd done it just a couple of hours ago.

"You too."

I ground into him slowly, getting myself worked up before lowering onto him.

Our breathing increased, two bodies, one movement. Like always, he gripped my hips with his hardened, calloused hands, maneuvering me the way he wanted.

Sliding my hands down to his sides, I flattened my body against his, wanting to feel more of his skin on my skin. It changed the angle, making it a little more difficult to move.

His hands left my hips and cupped my face, urging a kiss. He rolled me on to my back and slid in slowly, kissing me long and slow. Sometimes his kisses drove me into a hotter state of arousal than the actual sex. I felt wide open and receptive, wanting everything he had to give me; his body, his heart, himself.

He pulled out and kissed his way down my neck to my nipples, down my chest to my belly button, to each of my hip bones and then below. I'd been close to coming from before so it didn't take long for his mouth to make me melt, and then he was inside me again, hard and fast, sliding wet and good.

This was only the third time we'd been together without a condom. It was messy, but it was our mess, and I liked it. He stilled above me, his body expanding and contracting with the intensity of each breath.

This was always the moment when I wanted to tell him I loved him, but self preservation had always kept me from doing it. I didn't want that anymore, though. I didn't need to tell him all the time, a mindless mantra, but I wanted the freedom to tell him when it felt right.

"I love you."

He shuddered one last breath and pulled away slightly, kissing my closed eyelids.

"I sure hope so," he teased. I opened my eyes and stuck my tongue out and he swooped down, catching my mouth with his. I giggled at the goofiness of the kiss, all awkward and thick tongues and silly. He pulled out and got off the bed, pulling me with him to the shower.

"C'mon, lover girl. "

* * *

Since we'd gone to bed so early the day before, we were up and ready at a decent time in the morning.

We dressed quickly and met Riley, Vicky, Alice and Jasper in the dining area to eat. The food was more than I'd hoped for; rich, delicious and fresh.

As I'd suspected, the others had all had early nights as well, although I doubted it had just involved sleep. This had to be one of the most relaxing and romantic places I'd ever been to. Even Alice and Jasper were looking a little handsy.

Afterward we headed over to Heavenly Ski resort to ride the lifts and attempt the slopes.

I was still rather wobbly on my skis, and I fell a lot, but I was improving. Edward was patient, biting back laughter and quick to help me to my feet time and time again.

After a couple of hours we all grabbed lunch at a nearby restaurant. Alice and I urged the others to go on ahead while we did something else for awhile. Like me, she was new to the winter sport thing and was as ready to chill as I was.

"Just call me… or text if you want us to find you," Edward said, patting the pocket where his phone was hidden.

"I will. Go. Have fun," I said, shooing him away.

Alice turned to me. "So…"

I rolled my eyes, smiling. "You just can't wait, can you?"

"Pssh, no way. Spill."

"I told him. And… he feels the same way," I said quietly, wrapping my icicle fingers around a steaming after lunch latte.

She nodded. "I thought he might."

"It wasn't, like, this grand declaration or anything. Edward's not the most…"

"Gooey."

"Gooey," I smirked, "person around. But that's okay."

She shrugged. "You never know. Maybe he'll surprise you one day."

"Maybe." I sipped at my drink. "Anyway…thanks for encouraging me. You and Rose both. I needed to stop freaking out."

Alice swiped her spoon through the crest of whipped cream atop her cocoa. "I sort of see it both ways, Bella. On one hand, Edward's not a mind reader… so you can't really expect him to just… know what you're thinking. Or feeling. But on the other hand, you deserve someone who's crazy about you. You should never settle. Ever."

I nodded, knowing what she said was true.

"Bottom line is you have to communicate. A lot. And make sure he's communicating too, in a way that you get."

"When did you get so wise?"

She winked. "Cosmo."

I giggle-choked, nearly spraying our table with coffee.

"Kidding, kidding!" She laughed out loud. "I just… I don't know. It makes sense."

"You're very intuitive," I said, squeezing her hand. "Thanks."

* * *

We were high in the air when the sun went down, riding a lift back to the resort.

Deliciously tired. I could live like this every day.

Edward knocked my knee with his, drawing my attention away from the gorgeousness around me.

"So, you like it?"

"Are you kidding me? I love this. I don't want to leave."

"I was worried it would be too cold for you, being a frail desert flower and all," he said, his eyes flashing impertinently.

"Shut up," I snorted, elbowing him. "I happen to like cold weather."

"I do, too."

We rode in silence awhile, our legs dangling and swinging.

"I'm glad you came with me, Bella."

My heart fluttered. I looked up at him, enamored with his wind-reddened cheeks, his keen green eyes. They'd been hidden most of the day because of the sunglasses we'd both been wearing, but now, in the almost-evening, they were focused on me. His eyes were always so surprising, like it was a treat to see them, something rare.

"Me too. I'm glad you invited me."

He leaned over and kissed me softly. I wondered briefly how lips stayed so warm, even on the coldest of days.

"You still afraid of me?" The question was barely above a breath.

My eyes drifted open— I hadn't realized they'd closed –and locked with his. "I don't think so…"

"You trust me?"

I nodded, involuntarily gripping his jacket in my fist.

"You have to tell me… okay?" He looked at my mouth, kissed it. "I don't want to lose you because you think I don't feel enough."

My stomach tightened at his admission.

"I love the way you keep it real between us," he continued. "And yeah… I love you."

* * *

_thanks for the wondiferous reviews, loves. i read and adore and snicker and frown and agree and disagree. it's not possible for me to answer every chapter, but i'll do my best to reply every couple. and before you tell me i don't have to - i know - but i actually like the dialogue. i'm a chatty cathy, what can i say._

_except for you, angel. i'll just chat your ears off in other ways/venues._


	31. All aboard

_All recognizable characters belong to their owner; in this case Stephenie Meyer. I just own this particular lot._

_storyline - **"Slippery"**_

_prompts - star, "all aboard"_

* * *

I woke to tapping. On my nose.

A loud whisper: "Bella?"

I turned away from the whisper, seeking more sleep.

"Bella." Alice was using a normal voice now.

"What?" I mumble-groaned, my face still half buried in blankets.

"Gotta get up. The boys have to go."

Yawning, I opened my eyes to find Alice and Jasper standing next to the bed, twin expressions of amusement on their faces. Edward stirred behind me, his embrace tightening as he, too, woke up.

"Time's it?" he slurred, drunk with sleepiness. We'd stayed up almost all night, talking and laughing, nibbling on snacks... kissing.

Especially kissing. My face warmed as I thought about it, about how he'd felt on top of me, pushing against me in ways that made us both breathless and a little desperate for some sort of release.

"Time to get up, dude. We gotta hit the road," Jasper said, starting to yawn also. He nudged Alice and they left the room, speaking in quite tones.

It looked to me like they'd come to some sort of decision, as well. I couldn't be sure though, and I looked forward to having girl time with Alice once the boys left.

Of course, that meant that Edward would be officially gone. My heart ached a little at the thought.

With great effort I peeled myself away from Edward, swinging my legs off the bed.

"Where you going?" he asked gruffly, pulling me back.

"To the bathroom," I said, floating in the sweetness of his attention. "I need to pee… and brush my teeth if we're going to say goodbye properly."

I felt him run his hand through my hair as he sat up, combing his fingers gently through the knots.

"Okay?" I asked.

"Okay."

A half hour later we were down in the parking lot, saying our goodbyes.

Jasper had offered to drive, since Edward had done so on the way up. He and Alice were on the driver's side, involved in all sorts of PDA.

Edward and I stood on the opposite side. He held me tight around my waist and I held him back just as securely, relishing his solidness. Too soon he'd be a good memory.

"So we'll keep in touch," he said. We'd been saying stuff like this to each other for days now, little reassurances that we were going to build something off of the foundation of the weekend.

Nodding, I kissed his stubbly chin. "Yes. I'm good at emailing. Don't be surprised if you get novel length messages."

He chuckled, gazing down at me. "I'm more into texting…and sometimes G-chat. Either way, though, you know?"

"I might write you for real letters too," I said shyly. I'd always loved the tangible-ness of pen on paper.

"Do," he said, his eyes on my lips. "I'll make sure you have my addresses."

"You'll be traveling a lot…"

"Just for a little while. Then I'll be at BU for the rest of the school year."

I tiptoed to kiss him and he met me halfway, filling my mouth with his tongue, making me feel so much, making me want more. I was glad we hadn't done much more than kiss the night before – it was simply too soon for that –but I'd be lying if I pretended like I didn't want him in every way.

His fingers tightened in my hair and responded, gripping his in mine.

Jasper cleared his throat, lightly smacking the roof of the car.

"Train's leaving man. All aboard."

Edward and I separated, and I knew my face was as pink as his. From the early morning frost, and from the warmth of our kisses.

Alice came around on my side, handing me the crutches that had been resting against the side of the car.

I tried not to feel desolate as the boys pulled away from the curb, tire tracks in the dirty snow the only sign they'd ever been there.

"You okay?" Alice asked, walking slowly beside me as I hobbled back to our building.

"Yeah. Just being really silly and melodramatic," I admitted, allowing myself to be self deprecating for once.

"It's okay, Bella," she sighed. "I know just how you feel."

"I know you do," I said gratefully.

She opened the main door for me and we entered the heated lounge together.

The next few days passed in a blur.

Between classes, papers and acclimating to my new work study – filing in the financial aid office – I stayed incredibly busy. It was good because not only did it distract me from missing Edward but it kept me focused on the real reason I was in New York in the first place; to learn.

Not being with Edward turned out to not as hard as I thought. For one thing, I had Alice to commiserate with and she was an old pro at navigating long distance affections. Apparently she and Jasper had come to a turning point after all, something she credited partially to me.

"Jasper's wanted to be exclusive for awhile," she'd told me the night after the boys had returned to New Hampshire. "I was the one who always… balked. I just didn't want to be tied to someone I couldn't be with, you know? But knowing you and Edward are going to attempt it, and you guys have only just met… I don't know. It made me realize I was being dumb not to try."

Another positive was that Edward had kept his word when it came to keeping in touch. I received texts from him at the most random times. Sometimes he sent jokes or ridiculous images; other times just photos of places he wanted me to see "when I visited him in Boston." We chatted a couple times a week too.

It wasn't perfect, but we were getting to know each other the old fashioned way: through lots of conversation. We'd already established a physical connection, so we were obviously well matched in that regard, but I found it just as satisfying learning about who he really was when we weren't distracted by pheromones.

Like he'd promised, Edward sent me information on the channel and time his snowboarding competition would be broadcasted. He said that they were more of a preliminary sort of deal, where talent from around the country would compete to separate the good from the great.

Alice and I watched in awe. Edward was much better than he'd led us to believe, and by his cocky swagger, he knew it too.

"Oh, my gosh," Alice murmured, digging around the Chex Mix for the pretzels she loved. "He's like, a star."

"I know," I gushed, enraptured.

"He was always good in high school, I mean, we all knew he loved it, but a bunch of the guys went snowboarding. Like, everyone did. I didn't realize he'd taken it so seriously."

Edward glanced at the camera then, just for a second. I smiled, knowing he knew I was watching.


	32. Triangle

**All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.**

**storyline - "Embrace"**

**prompt - triangle**

* * *

He Said

* * *

"It's nothing, Officer," I said quickly. The last thing I needed was to get hauled in over something this stupid.

The reality of the situation was really sinking in now. Maybe I should've listened to Emmett and refrained from further pranks.

"Doesn't look like nothing," he said, shining his flashlight at Bella's taped-shut door.

I didn't see the point of that; he already had his high powered headlights and searchlight and every other kind of light trained on her house.

"Ah, well… yeah…" I mumbled, scratching the back of my head.

Bella stayed silent, staring at the ground.

"Now, you were recently given a warning for disturbing the peace, weren't you, Mr. Cullen?"

I glared at Bella. "Yes, sir."

"I've half a mind to haul you in after tonight's stunt. This is a nice neighborhood; these people shouldn't have to deal with this." He shone his flashlight at my door, chuckling when he saw it was in the same state as Bella's. "Alrighty then."

"We're really sorry for causing any trouble," Bella said softly. "If you'll just… let us go inside, we can guarantee it won't happen again."

"Oh, you'd better believe it won't happen again," the policeman said sharply. "Else I'll take you both in."

"Yes, sir," we said.

He clicked off the flashlight and got back into his car.

"Ugh. That was close," I muttered, swiping my face.

She threw me a withering glance, turning on her heel to head toward her backyard.

"What, you're not talking to me now?"

"I have nothing to say to you," she said.

"You could apologize…"

She stopped abruptly, whirling around. "For what?"

"For calling the cops on me in the first place. That's probably why they were so quick to respond tonight."

Bella gaped at me. "You think I called the cops on you? Are you out of your frigging mind?"

The adrenaline that had faded began to rise up again in the form of massive irritation. "Who the hell else would call, Bella?" I sneered at her.

* * *

She Said

* * *

"Probably the same person who called them tonight, genius," I spat.

"Yeah right," he shot back, but I could tell he wasn't so sure. I could not _believe_ he thought I'd been the one to call the police on him and his stupid little party.

Gritting my teeth, I once again made a beeline for the back of my home so I could go in through the kitchen door.

"We'll discuss this later," he called.

_Fat chance, homeboy._

The next day I was so exhausted from the night before that the extra work I had to bring home was pure torture. I didn't even have the girls to help me; Rose was out on a date and Alice had just as much paperwork to contend with as I did.

Pulling up in my driveway and struggling out of the car with a briefcase, purse and groceries, I made my way up the porch.

And paused. And gazed upon the cherry to my crap sundae.

The door. The damn door! Was still taped. I'd totally forgotten in the busyness of my day.

I hadn't had time to deal with it earlier in the morning and I sure as hell wasn't in the mindset to deal with it now. Upon closer inspection, it looked like Pranky Pants had even used the same sort of tape I'd used – Gorilla.

Taking a deep breath, I counted to ten. Twice.

I worked late into the night, making sure to cross all my 't's and dot my 'i's. The last thing I needed was to put forth all of this time and effort only to be derailed by some tiny detail. People were depending on me to do my work right and be professional, regardless of the rather unprofessional circumstances I'd been dealing with at home.

Thankfully, there wasn't a peep from the house next door all night. No music, voices, cars pulling up at late hours.

I took a quick shower, got into my PJs, and was fast asleep in minutes.

The next morning, I awoke a little earlier than usual so that I could untape my front door before starting the day. I grabbed a box cutter from the junk drawer and slipped out the back door in my flip flops, yawning as I trudged to the front of the house.

I blinked in surprise.

The tape was gone. There wasn't even any residue left behind. Stepping forward, I gingerly rubbed my fingertips over the wood and glanced at Edward's house.

Huh.

* * *

He Said

* * *

Our paths didn't cross for a couple of days. Sometimes, if the music was off in my house or Em and Jasper were being quiet, I'd hear Bella's car or the sound of her friend's voices, drifting over, but other than that… nothing.

I knew she knew I'd taken the tape off of her door.

The guys had pretty much made me do it after I'd explained what had gone down with the police. Jasper was especially convinced that Bella hadn't been the one to call the cops on us.

"I mean, that's kind of a big deal, you know? You're either the type to call the cops for every little thing or deal with it yourself – "

"And Chick is obviously the type to deal with stuff herself, man," Emmett interrupted, rummaging through the fridge.

So, call it a hunch, or a feeling, or whatever.

I was still pretty pissed off at her for drugging me and making be burn my asscheeks, but there was nothing I could do about it now. We were at an impasse, I guess.

I'd noticed she'd started mowing her lawn on Saturday afternoons, now. In response I bought a heavy duty trash can with a tight fitting lid so she couldn't bitch about it anymore.

Sunday rolled around and I was chilling in the back yard with the boys when we smelled the sweet, sweet smell of barbeque wafting over the fence.

Before I could say anything, Emmett jumped up and squinted through a crack in the wood.

"Damn," he said, almost drooling.

"That tasty?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

"You could definitely say that," he panted, taking another look.

"If you're that hungry I could probably wheel out the grill – "

"No, asshat," he hissed, waving us over.

I stayed put, but Jasper took the bait and before long the two of them were peeping through the fence like prepubescent perverts.

It was too much. The smell of cooking food… the soft chatter and occasional girly giggle… the way my two best friends were staring like starving men in the dessert. Sighing, I got up and went to go look.

Bella and her two girlfriends, the little brunette and the Amazonian blonde, were prancing around in bikinis, grilling and barbequing and drinking what appeared to be margaritas.

Instant boner.

I backed up so fast I fell.

Jasper snickered, trying not to laugh too loud, but Emmett started cracking up.

"Ha ha," I said dryly, brushing grass from my shorts as I stood.

"It was funny," Jasper chuckled. "It's not our fault you have no sense of humor left."

"Amen to that," Em agreed, returning to his peephole.

Whatever. Now all I could think of was Miss Priss in her microscopic bikini, two tiny triangles covering her boobs and one more barely covering the Promised Land. Who knew the prude had it in her?

All of a sudden a clear, female voice – not Bella's –called over.

"You might as well come and get it while it's hot, Emmett."

He elbowed Jasper. "C'mon dude. I'll introduce you to Alice."

They left me alone in my backyard, wondering how and when they'd gotten so chummy with the enemy.

I stepped closer to the fence and bent down to look through.

Brown eyes. Up close.

"Stop stalking and come eat," Bella sighed.


	33. West

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - "Sessions"_

_prompt - west_

* * *

A year after I met Edward I knew he was the One. I mean, I'd known for awhile. But it just took a second for me to go from knowing in my heart to knowing all over.

Knowing in my heart was the sweet stuff. The cuddles and the gestures and the romance.

But knowing all over? That was the toothpaste in the sink, the dirty laundry, the crappy schedule we often contended with.

I was more than willing to learn and deal.

This man was my today, tomorrow, and forever.

We were sitting in the living room, watching something on TV, when he turned to ask me a question. It was like being in a dream state: I could see his mouth moving, the crinkles at the corner of his eyes, but there was no sound. It all faded… his voice, the television, the wind blowing in from the open glass doors.

I don't know what it was, exactly. Maybe a series of moments that had been silently accumulating in my heart, layer upon layer. We had a good thing. It had been good from the get-go and it only got better.

I refocused. He was laughing a bit now. "… five. But he won't."

"Who?"

Edward regarded me slyly, reaching to take a handful of nuts from the bowl on the coffee table. "Did you hear anything I just said?"

I shook my head and got up, moving to sit on his lap, my knees on either side of his thighs. He rested his hands on my hips and gazed up at me.

"You're so cute," I said, smoothing his eyebrows with my thumbs.

He smiled and leaned up, trying to kiss me.

"Ew, you've got a mouth full of peanuts," I protested, covering his hand with my mouth.

He settled back, tucking his thumbs beneath my waistband. "Tease."

"No…" I snuggled closer, covering his neck and face with little kisses until he caught my cheeks between his palms and kissed me good and hard, peanut breath and all.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked, his lips still pressed against mine.

"Hopefully you," I said, grinning.

"Easy, cheesy," he groaned, pulling me in for a hug.

* * *

Our anniversary was coming up and I wanted to do something special. He was the most thoughtful person I knew, especially when I thought back to all of the mediocre, lukewarm relationships I'd had before him.

We were both enrolled in summer classes in an effort to finish our respective degrees in a somewhat timely fashion. It was relaxed, though. I had two classes, two days a week whereas Edward had three.

I considered making reservations at one of the nicer restaurants in Seattle, figuring we could enjoy a room for the night afterward, but quickly tossed that idea. I wanted something a little more creative.

On the evening of our anniversary, I got Chinese takeout and switched the fortune cookies with ones I'd had custom made. Each "fortune" detailed a favorite memory: or first kiss, the song he played for me, making love in Hawaii, ziplining, our sexy time video, the night of the paper hearts. There were simpler, more general mentions too: eating dinner on the deck, watching as the sun set in the west. Waking up to him each morning…

I dressed the bed in the new comforter and sheet set I'd bought, then took a shower, traded the lights for candles and got into bed naked. Waiting.

He texted me on his way home, apologizing that he hadn't been able to get us reservations at ne f our favorite restaurants downtown. I played it down, urging him to just hurry home to me.

I could barely stand the anticipation. The front door opened and closed. Edward's boots clomped closer and then he opened the bedroom door.

"Hey," he said, his smile growing when he saw me.

I smiled, reclining back.

He crossed the room and leaned down, kissing me softly. "Happy anniversary."

"Happy anniversary indeed," I sighed. Go bathe. I have plenty of food."

Of course Edward insisted on dining naked too, which just made me love him even more. Finally, he pulled out a fortune cookie.

My belly tightened in nervousness.

His look of surprise, as he read his "fortune" was so genuinely surprised, and then pleased, I almost wished I'd had a camera – for above the waist shots of course. I could tell he was touched. He smiled at every one, laughing and looking at me.

"You've got a good memory," he remarked.

"You make it easy."

"Thanks, babe," he whispered after reading the last one. He knelt and kissed me across the bed. "This is… incredible. I love you."

"I love you, too."

He kissed me again and then straightened up, reaching for his messenger bag on the floor. "I got you something too."

My heart skipped a beat. I accepted the package, wondering what it was.

Inside the box was an envelope. Inside the envelope was a pair of tickets.

Hawaii.


	34. Airplane

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline -** "Sessions"**_

_prompt - airplane_

* * *

I shouldn't have been surprised that Edward would take me back to the place we fell in love. Although, I'd always assumed – in the back of my mind—we'd return there for our honeymoon. Even when our relationship was brand new, a part of me had acknowledged that Edward was different than everyone else in my life. He served a different purpose, filled a special place in my heart.

We went for the last week of July. August would bring a lot of change: a new fall semester, moving to our new place in Seattle, and a trip away was the perfect way to remedy the upcoming busyness.

Like before, Edward dozed on the plane after awhile, the headphones to his iPod stuffed snugly in his ears. I sat beside him, leafing through tourism magazines, folding back the pages on the activities and places I wanted to try. We were staying at the Grand Wailea again but instead of the towers, we had one of the Villas at Ho'olei.

If I'd been slack jawed at the opulence the first time around, I could barely function this time.

I knew better than to second guess Edward's plans though. Not only would it be futile, but it would also seem sort of ungrateful. I did my best to pull my own weight back home; I didn't need to prove myself or haggle with him over budgeting if he wanted a luxurious vacation. Besides, he was the numbers person – not me.

"You coming in or are you gonna stand there and over think this?" Edward teased, urging me indoors. "I know what you're thinking."

"I'm savoring. Can't I savor?"

His voice was already deep inside the villa. "I suppose so."

I closed my eyes and turned my face to the sun, enjoying the balmy breeze and the warmth. I couldn't believe I was back.

Inside, there was a pile of baggage and a trail of clothing leading to what I imagined was one of the bedrooms. Smiling, I pulled my t-shirt off and unbuttoned my jeans, letting them join Edward's.

I found him propped up on a bed in just boxers, hands behind his head. The ceiling fan spun lazily.

The sliding glass doors opened to a picture perfect ocean panorama.

"Look, just like home," I said sarcastically, gesturing to the view.

Edward grinned, patting the space next to him.

"I think I need a shower first," I hedged, inching toward the bathroom.

"No you don't," he said, slipping off of the bed and grabbing me before I could escape.

"Edward," I giggled, sounding breathy and ridiculous even to myself, "I'm gross. Let me go shower!"

"Fine," he huffed, releasing me.

He followed me in to the bathroom, needless to say.

* * *

So, we were staying at the same resort, but everything felt different. For one thing, Edward didn't have any meetings. His time wasn't divided between work and play. For another, we'd now been together for a while. A year ago we'd so green, just barely sticking our toes into coupledom.

"C'mon, I want to get the good sun," I called, waiting impatiently by the door.

I was determined to get as get as much outside time as possible. We'd slept in a good deal, not wanting to squander our time away from rigid schedules, but now it was time to seize (the rest of) the day.

Edward came out of the bedroom with a beach bag – I laughed because he never had a bag unless it was for school – and followed me out of the villa.

We were smart this time. Instead of only frequenting the bars for delicious but overpriced drinks, we bought a bunch at a local market and made them on the beach. It reminded me of something the girls and I would have done in high school; it was awesome.

The day could not have been more perfect. The sky was brilliant and blue, soft cotton ball clouds floating cheerily by, the breeze constant yet warm, the sand fine and white.

"Mm, I'm gonna get a good tan," I murmured, laying flat on my towel.

"And Vitamin D." Edward handed me a cup of rum punch.

I peeked over to see him pouring himself a drink from a large plastic bottle. So that's what he'd been doing in the kitchen back at our villa.

"This is good," I said, sipping the fruity deliciousness in surprise.

"I googled the recipe," he said, touching his glass to mine. "Cheers."

We goofed around on the beach for so long that we went from sober to drunk to sober again. At one point Edward ventured off and found us hamburgers from one of the hotel's restaurants. It was just the thing, perfect after a long day of swimming and drinking.

"Oh man," I moaned, sprawled on the sand. "I don't wanna move."

Edward took a picture of me.

"No!" I cried, kicking sand at him. "I look horrible! What're you doing…"

"You don't," he laughed, scooting closer. "You're beautiful."

"You're cheesy," I sighed, kissing him.

The next thing I knew he'd whipped his guitar out.

"Where'd that come from?" I asked, completely shocked.

"I grabbed it when I went to buy the burgers," he said. "You were just too out of it to notice."

"Damn. That's pretty big for me to not notice."

"No kidding."

"Shush." I went to kick playfully at him again but he grabbed my foot and held it, resting it in his lap.

Edward started to strum quietly, and as always, the notes found themselves arranged into melodies.

He looked at me while he sang, barely blinking, a sweet and soulful song about how good we were together and how lucky. I'd never heard it before and I didn't know where he'd gotten it but it turned me inside out and made my heart beat different.

The song faded to a quiet close, and still his eyes were locked with mine. He reached into his bag and dug around, all the while looking at me, looking. He slipped something on to my toe and held it there, his expression becoming very serious.

"Bella."

_Oh, God._

I sat up straighter, completely sober now, and yet somehow intoxicated all over again, heady, spun out, not even touching the ground.

"Bella, you're the reason I come home. I want you to always be the reason. Will you? Will you marry me?"

Eyes burning, throat closed up, I pulled my foot away and slid the ring off of my toe and onto my finger. I got on my knees and inched closer.

"Yes."

* * *

**_"You're the Reason I Come Home" by Ron Pope_**

_Watching you watching me,_  
_A fine way to fall asleep._  
_The neighbors fight,_  
_As we both rest our eyes._

_Hands in the fallen snow;_  
_Numb to the winter cold,_  
_But we don't mind,_  
_'Cause we'll get warm inside._

_You're the reason I come home._  
_You're the reason I come home, my love._  
_You're the reason that when everything I know falls apart..._  
_Well, you're the reason I come home._

_Paper doll silhouettes,_  
_Fingertips on window glass;_  
_The street's asleep,_  
_So I breathe you in deep._

_The tragedies of chemistry,_  
_People dream of what you and me _  
_Have found..._  
_Effortlessly._

_You're the reason I come home._  
_You're the reason I come home, my love._  
_You're the reason that when everything I know falls apart..._  
_Well, you're the reason I come home._

_And for a long time, I remember,_  
_Saying prayers for something perfect,_  
_Saying prayers for someone kind._  
_It's in my head,_  
_We're spinning circles down the avenues instead._


	35. Scale

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

storyline - "Air"

prompt - scale

* * *

Not much had changed between Edward and me. Outwardly, that is.

Inside, things felt different; everything was so focused now. Before, I'd been pretty happy to just chill with him, living life, not thinking too much about the future. I mean, I thought about my future in terms of classes and whether or not I'd continue to live in Oakland after I graduated – that sort of thing—but I hadn't really done that with Edward.

Maybe it had been a subconscious decision _not_ to put perimeters and labels on something because I was afraid I might not like what I ended up with. Or maybe I really hadn't been concerned before. For once, I'd been just going with the flow.

In reality, though… nothing stays the same. If it does, it's stagnates and even then that means its rotting. If it's not growing, it's dying.

Upping the ante with my feelings-for-Edward was like a skin shedding its skin: a little messy and really necessary.

It felt good to look ahead into my future and see him there.

* * *

"End of vacation blues?" Edward asked, his eyes twinkling like jewels over the gluttonous, gloppy sundae he was eating.

I shrugged, mashing my spoon around my ice cream. "Kind of. I got used to sleeping in and chillin'. Now I have...ugh. Early classes."

"Why didn't you choose a later one? They didn't have any?"

"Not for this one course. It was take it at eight or don't take it at all. And I have to take it."

"Ah. Sucks."

"Yep." I shoved a huge bite into my mouth. No sooner did I feel the cool trickle of something sweet and sticky dribbling down my chin Edward wiped it with his finger and sucked it off.

My stomach fluttered the way it did when he did sexy things like. Intimate things.

Our first date. The omelet.

"I love when you do stuff like that," I said, using a napkin to wipe whatever he had missed.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Such a woman."

I grinned at my banana split, nodding.

* * *

"My mother wants to meet you."

We were standing just inside his front door, still in jackets. Edward was sorting his mail; tossing the junk into a recycling bin he kept by the coat rack.

"She already did." I frowned, gesturing toward his coffee table. "Remember? The pizza…"

"I know. But she wants to meet you again," he explained. "She wants to know you. My dad too."

"She wants to know your dad? What, is he like you? Hard to crack?"

"Smart ass. _He_ wants to meet _you_."

"I want to meet them too. Is your dad like you?"

"He's a psychiatrist."

"Ah. That explains a lot."

"You're really feisty since we got back from Tahoe, you know that?"

"Am I?" I asked, knowing I probably was.

Edward grunted in response, looking up at me. The late afternoon sun caught his eyes, setting them ablaze.

"You're feisty too," I said. "In your own way. Quiet feist."

He snorted, kicking off his boots.

I followed him into the kitchen. "So when are we going to their house? For dinner or something?"

"Whenever. We can go this weekend if you want."

"Okay."

I didn't know if this was a big deal or not, if it was significant to him or his parents, but it mattered to me. Now that they were allowed to grow freely, the scale of my feelings had only intensified. I wondered if he felt the same way; it couldn't be coincidence that we were arranging dinner with his parents a week after our "I love yous".

Suddenly the ground beneath our feet trembled. The plates and glasses in the cabinet rattled and a pile of papers on the kitchen table slipped to the floor with a whoosh.

I froze, my heart pounding, and looked at Edward. He was standing next to the fridge, his eyes trained on me. It got a little rough, and I reached for the wall.

It ended as quickly as it began.

"Whoa," I breathed. The vague sense of panic that had hit me started to fade.

Edward crossed the room and came to stand next to me, grasping my elbow. "You okay?"

"Yeah…"

"First earthquake?" His smile was gentle.

Nodding, I leaned my head on his chest. I love how he smelled; like wood and paint and detergent.

His hands ran through my hair, tugging gently, and then he held me.


	36. Direction

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Slippery"**_

_prompts - direction, town_

* * *

I sat still, trying not to let my legs move too much.

Dr. Gerandy was bustling around the room, examining X-rays and looking at charts. Finally, he turned to me.

My heart paused. It could go either way from here, and the stoic expression on Gerandy's face did nothing to help my anxiety.

"Well, Isabella," he said, pausing to glance down at my ankle. "It looks like we can do away with the crutches and brace for now."

Relief washed over me. I wanted to hug him.

"But."

He paused. Again.

I paused.

Something beeped in the examining room next door.

"You need to be extra careful. This was a nasty sprain, as you know. Your ankle is going to be a little weaker than its mate for months. Even though it's all right now, it's a lot more susceptible to future sprains. I'd recommend avoiding sports and such."

I tried to disguise my sarcastic snort as a cough. _Sports?_

"Yes, Doctor. Thank you. "

"Don't thank me, thank yourself. You've taken good care of it so far. Just don't un-do all these months of healing with foolhardiness."

_Yes, I was a foolhardy kinda gal, all right._

"I won't." I stepped gingerly off the table, testing my weight. Things felt okay; a little fragile from lack of use, but okay.

"If there are any problems don't hesitate to come see me," he prompted.

"I won't. Thanks Dr. Gerandy," I said, grabbing my purse.

Ever since my fall several months before, I tended to stare at the ground while walking. Even though I was now "back to normal" and walking without aid, I realized I was still doing this. Oh well. Hopefully eventually I'd lose the paranoia.

After paying, I left the doctor's office, carefully making my way to the bus stop. Alice had inherited one of Peter's old cars since the holidays, but she had classes all day and couldn't pick me up. In fact, I had classes all day too but I'd had to skip a couple to fit my appointment in.

Spring time had hit Hempstead. It was a gorgeous day, the trees budding with new leaves, flowers everywhere. The sky was bright and blue. With my inner glee, I felt like I was in a musical.

It felt so good to know that I was free. Being on crutches had really put a damper on things, limiting my every day activities. I'd even developed rough patches and slight bruises under my armpits where the crutches had rested. The skin there was sensitive and chafed easily.

But no more. Thank God.

I couldn't wait to tell Edward.

A bus pulled up, but it was headed in a slightly different direction, to another part of town. According to my schedule, my bus would be arriving in about two minutes so I settle do to the bench and dug my phone from my purse.

Smiling, I texted Alice, letting her know the good news. I hoped she had it on vibrate.

Seconds later she messaged back. _EEEEKK!_

I laughed out loud, "hearing" Alice's exuberance through her words...er…letters.

Another text followed. "_Party tonight?_"

_Sure, what-ev._

_Yay!_

The bus pulled up and I got to my feet with ease, pocketing my phone.

* * *

Unlocking the main door to our building, I stepped aside to let a girl on crutches by. She smiled gratefully, slightly pink in the cheeks, and I wanted to just hug her and tell her I knew just how she felt.

I'd attended one more class after returning to campus but it was about four p.m.; Alice would be home by now. I walked slowly up the stairs, remembering Dr. Gerandy's warnings to take it easy for awhile. Truthfully, my ankle was very slightly sore but I suspected that was from months of healing and being babied. I could take a couple of Tylenol or, and I had a feeling this is what Alice had meant by partying, I could smoke a jay.

I pause outside the door to our room, hearing voices inside.

Either our suitemates Heidi and Jane were home with guests or Alice had someone over.

"No more crutches?" Heidi asked, stopping in mid-stride as I came in. She looked down at my ankle, and then at me, smiling.

"Nope." I shook my head, grinning stupidly.

"Ack! I'm so glad for you," she said, giving me a quick hug.

"Bella!" Alice yelled from our bedroom.

"Go, you guys have guests," Heidi said, winking.

Instantly, my stomach was all aflutter.

_Calm down, calm down, just because you have "guests" doesn't necessarily mean it's –_

"Edward?"

He stood slowly from my bed, smiling.

Alice bounced over, almost throwing herself into my arms before she caught herself. She grasped my arms instead. "So you're in the clear? You can walk?"

"I can walk," I agreed, using my best dramatic voice.

And then Edward was at my side, pulling me into a hug.

"Hey," I sighed, holding him. "I can't believe you're here."

"I know. I wanted it to be a surprise." He bent his head kissing my neck just long enough to give me goose bumps, and then pulled back. "I'm back in Boston for good now. No more out of state competitions for awhile."

Tiptoeing, I kissed him. "I've been watching you… on TV. So weird."

"I know," he laughed. "My mom used to call me up, freaking out when it all first started. She's more used to it now, but…"

"But she still calls freaking out."

"Yep." He nodded, eyes twinkling.

"I was sort of freaking out, myself," I admitted, thinking about the surreal-ness of seeing someone I knew personally on screen. "Thanks for coming. I won't be such a blob this time."

He rolled his eyes. "You were not a blob."

I shrugged, grabbing Edward's hand but stepping back to create a bit of space between us. I hadn't even said hello to Jasper yet.

"Hey, Bella," he said, coming to give me a hug too. "Congrats."

"Thanks." I looked at Alice. "So what should we do first?"

* * *

_so, it's September 11th. I'm always a little sad today, and a lot thoughtful. i'm sure many of you, especially those who live in the US, feel similarly. anyway, i'll never forget the way i felt that day back in 2001, and how much i cried. how much we all cried. it's hard to believe it's been nearly a decade. i can't look at movies or footage from that day without the wound inside feeling nearly as fresh as it did that morning._

**_Today we remember the lives of those lost on 9/11, we pause for their loved ones, and we say that love is stronger than hate._**


	37. Castle

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - "Embrace"_

_prompt - castle_

* * *

She Said

* * *

Frankly, I wasn't sure what to make of Edward Sulky Pants. It was weird to have him in my yard at my invitation and not because he was slinking around, up to no good.

It had been tempting to just leave him alone on his side of the fence when the boys came over. I hadn't really wanted to invite Jasper and Emmett, either. But Rose was obviously slumming it with Lumberjack and now Alice was making googly eyes at the blonde so I had to attempt to be a good neighbor.

He had, after all, shown good faith by un-taping my front door and buying a proper trashcan. And... okay. He was cute. Really cute. Even with his clothes on.

_Especially with his clothes on!_

I chanced a glance at him. He was standing off to the side, just on the outskirts of the two happy couples, beer in hand.

Broody, smoldery.

What happened to the social butterfly?

"Um… Edward," I called, waving him over with the spatula I was using to flip burgers.

He paused and then walked slowly over, all suspicious like I was going to grill him up next.

"How do you… you know. Like your burgers?"

"Oh." He shifted from one foot to the other. I was about to ask if he needed to use the bathroom when he answered. "Medium well."

"Really? Okay…"

He snorted. "Why? How do you like yours?"

"Medium rare."

"Figures."

I poked the burgers around. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He didn't say anything. I motioned toward the plates and he picked one up and handed it to me.

* * *

He said

* * *

I didn't know what it meant, except that Bella seemed typical. I had a feeling she only drank light beer and white wine, too. And ate sushi.

I decided not to tell her that, though. Our truce was tenuous.

She handed me my burger and nodded toward the condiment table.

"Thanks," I muttered, feeling like a moron. I'd almost preferred her being an insufferable bitch. This was just awkward.

Although, seeing her in that bikini was a sight for sore eyes. If she'd just never talk, ever, she'd be the perfect girl.

"Got chips?" Emmett bellowed, his mouth full.

"No," Rose said, shaking her head. "We do have fruit salad though."

"Oh, come on. What kind of barbecue is this?" he teased, winking at her.

She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. "A barbeque we invited you to because we felt sorry for you."

"Ouch." Jasper set his plate down, looking all amused. "I think Edward has potato chips, right?"

I did. But I just shrugged.

Jasper ignored me and went next door, presumably to grab the chips.

"These are amazing, Bella," Emmett said, hovering by the grill, his plate out. "Haven't had burgers this good since we road tripped it to White Castle."

"White Castle?" Alice frowned, wiping her hand son a napkin. "I don't think I've been to one around here."

"Oh, there aren't any," Emmett assured her. "We just like… hit the road until we found one. You know? Like the movie?"

Alice shook her head. "What movie?"

Emmett started at her like she'd grown a second head. "_Harold and Kumar go to White Castle_?"

She shrugged. "Nope."

I watched Bella make her way over to us, adjusting her bottoms with her free hand. Oh man, she had a little tan line going on…

"You weren't missing much, Alice. It's a stupid movie," she said.

"It's a classic," I retorted.

"It's a disaster," she shot back.

"Which is why it's a classic."

"Whatever."

"You know what? Screw it." I stood up and tossed my trash just as Jasper returned with the chips. "You're impossible to talk to. I've never met someone as stuck up as you."

She gaped at me. For a second.

Then she stood up, balling up her fists. "Yeah? Well you're jerk. You're no picnic to live next to either, let me tell you."

"At least I'm having fun. It's not my fault you probably need to get laid."

Next thing I knew a half of a burger was coming right at me, complete with mustard, mayo and ketchup.

I was vaguely aware of the stunned silence around us. Calmly, I walked over to the condiment table and grabbed the bottle of mustard. Before Bella realized what was happening, I let loose on her, coating her with yellow glop.

She shrieked and ran for the ketchup.

I got the mayonnaise. Got her good.

She grabbed a beer, shook it, and sprayed me.

There was nothing left, so I grabbed a beer and did the same.

Sputtering, she lunged at me, knocking me to the grass.

"What the… you crazy witch!"

"I hate you!" she snarled. "I wish you'd just move! Far away! Why don't you just go to …to… White Castle!"

I narrowly avoided being kneed in the nuts.

"That makes no sense," I growled, rolling her over so I was on top.

Suddenly we were blasted with cold water.

Rose was standing next to us with the hose trained on us, Alice, Jasper and Emmett behind her with matching expressions of fascination.

"You guys…are completely out of line. I don't know what's going on here but I think you need to talk it out. Or... have sex."

Wet and slippery, Bella squirmed beneath me, pushing me away.

At which point I noticed her bikini top had shifted.

Prettiest.

Nipple.

_Ever._

_

* * *

_

She said

* * *

I followed his gaze and nearly died. My boob was just… hanging out of my bathing suit.

Gasping, I fixed it but it was too late. Edward looked from my chest to my eyes and back down again.

Rose dropped the hose, grimacing.

Alice was purple with the effort of trying not to laugh.

Jasper was eating chips with gusto.

Emmett came over and gave me a hand. "Damn Bella. Where you been all my life?"

I stormed away toward the back door, ready to explode.

This day totally won out.

As the crappiest ever.

No sooner had I slammed the screen it opened again.

"Bella," Edward said, panting like he'd been running.

"What?"

He crossed the kitchen, shoved me up against the wall, and kissed me so hard my lips hurt.


	38. Witch

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - "Embrace"_

_prompt - witch_

* * *

She said

* * *

Edward's tongue prying its way past my lips wrenched me from my shocked stupor.

Grabbing a fistful of his awesome auburn hair I pulled his head back. He panted down at me, his eyes glazed and half shut.

"What?" he slurred.

"What?" I echoed, looking at his mouth. Wait, _what_?

I shoved him off and reassumed my glare, noticing our friends in the back yard, straining to look inside through the screen. Ugh. If they weren't helping, they were hindering. Or maybe helping would be hindering.

_Dammit! I couldn't think!_

Edward's eyes were back on my boobs, then my mouth, then my boobs.

I couldn't deny, his gaze was hot and it was scorching me, making me feel rather randy.

He stepped closer again, pinning me against the wall, leaving just enough room to reach up slowly and hook his finger along the side of my bikini top.

I smacked him.

He kissed me, with tongue this time.

* * *

He Said

* * *

It had occurred to me, watching the She-Witch prance off in yet another fit of pissyness, that if she had as much fire in the bedroom as out of it then she might in fact be perfect for me.

So here we were, covered in condiments and making out.

But damn, Bella tasted nice. Even through the mayonnaise and beer.

Yeah, she'd smacked my hand away but she hadn't fixed her top and now her naked breast was pressed against my wet tee shirt. I could feel her nipple.

_The_ nipple.

I dragged my hands down her sides and grabbed her ass, making her jump a little and wrap her legs around me. Then I carried her out of the kitchen and down the hall.

_Bump._

"Ow! Watch it, idiot!" she cried, rubbing the back of her head.

"Maybe if you'd stop sucking my face off I'd be able to see where I was going."

She sneered at me and fixed her top. "Put me down."

Shrugging, I let go of her. She spun around and started running up the stairs so I followed of course. She turned the corner at the top and I could see her smiling so I caught up and threw her over my shoulder.

"As if you could out run me," I snickered.

She shrieked – I think she was a little annoyed, actually – and started punching and pinching me.

I turned into the first bedroom I saw.

Yep, this was definitely all her.

Manically organized. Color coordinated. Symmetrical.

I tossed her on to the bed and peeled my shirt off.

* * *

She Said

* * *

"I suppose this is the part where I swoon from how Adonis-like you are," I said dryly, sitting up on my elbows. "Let's not forget I've seen this before. Many times. All of it."

He made a face of exaggerated surprise. "That's right! In fact…" He walked over to my window and looked down.

Crap. That window faced into his backyard.

"You little pervert, you!" he sang gleefully. "Nah, whatever. I dig it," he said, and dropped trou so fast it took me a minute to register that I was staring at Captain Winkie itself.

"Rendered speechless. Finally," he said, yanking off my bottoms and shoving aside my top.

"Shut up."

"Mustardy. But nice," he commented, licking the opposite nipple.

"You're really not my type," I groaned, trying not to melt from the amazingness that was Edward's mouth.

He licked up to my neck and started kissing my mouth.

"Condom," I mumbled.

"Where?"

I pushed him away and got one out of the My Little Pony goody bag Rose had given out at her last birthday party.

He opened that sucker and had it on so fast I wondered if there was an Olympic Sport he could compete in.

I took a deep breath. "Just so you know – "

He grabbed my hips and plunged inside.

* * *

He Said

* * *

I guess she wasn't expecting it cuz she squeaked.

Couldn't… believe… how wet she was.

Man, I'd have to piss her off more often.

In fact, come to think of it, she'd probably been wet for weeks.

I moaned and pumped faster, getting off on the sounds she was making. She squeezed me with her legs and grabbed my hair, which hurt and spurred me on faster.

Her mouth was open.

Her tits jiggled hypnotizingly.

I think I loved this girl.

And then I came.

* * *

She Said

* * *

Edward shuddered above me and then flattened me.

"That's it?" I asked, disappointed.

He slipped out.

Well, shoot. He'd felt great…for all of two minutes.

At least he had the decency to blush.

What had we just done?

I started to sit up but he pushed me back down and stuck his face between my legs and oh-

_Oh!_

* * *

They Said

* * *

Wondering if Bella knew how clearly sound carried through her house, Rose, Alice, Jasper and Emmett switched to Edward's.


	39. Unicorn

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - "Sessions" (probably just one more after this)_

_prompt - unicorn_

* * *

We were in bed, snuggling and talking quietly.

Well, maybe not that quietly. It was our third day in Hawaii and it had been pouring rain since we'd opened our eyes that morning. So, instead of stressing over the homelike weather (albeit a much more tropical, humid version) we stayed in bed, in our PJs, and ordered room service.

Four mimosas later, I was rockin' and rollin'.

"We could make everyone wear black," Edward said, twirling the wedding ring around my toe. He kept slipping it off my finger and sticking it onto my toe. I thought this was quirky and cute, and very Edward.

Although I doubt either of us would be laughing if I decided to keep the ring down there and subsequently lost it.

"Yeah… it would be very funeral-esque," I said, grinning dopily at him. "Or maybe make them be barefoot. In the mud."

"They could wear rain boots. "

"Or – oh, this is good!" I cackled, clapping my hands. "I could ride down the aisle on a horse, but instead of just a horse I could attach a horn to his forehead and it would look like I was riding a unicorn down the aisle! Yes! I could wear a princess wedding gown…"

Edward laughed, making a face. "No more champagne for you."

"No, listen," I giggled. "Everyone loves having these romantic weddings where they're barefoot at the beach or there's a dove release – "

"So, no doves."

"No, stop! Okay, and you know they always have these themes – "

"We'll go theme less. Maybe topless too."

"Edward!" I grabbed his face and gave him a wet, drunken smooch. "And you say I'm silly?"

"You make me silly," he said, smiling crookedly at me.

"You make me happy," I sighed, kissing his chin and cheek.

"You make me horny," he said, waggling his eyebrows.

Grinning, I sat up on my knees and ripped my shirt off.

Edward smiled up at me, reaching up to run this thumb over my bare nipples. "Can't believe you're mine."

"I've always been yours." I closed my eyes, shivering a little at the way Edward's fingers felt.

He pulled me down so that we were laying side by side, his hands large and warm on my hips.

"And I've always been yours," he echoed, looking very suddenly serious.

Through the tipsiness I felt a surge of love and affection… and need. I pulled myself even closer so that we were all lined up, body to body, and kissed him deep and thorough. I loved how his skin felt against mine, his chest against my breasts, his belly against my belly.

His hands tickled and tugged through my hair, massaging me right at the base of my neck.

We kissed until it wasn't enough and then Edward scooted away and stood up, taking his pants off. I took mine off too, rolling my panties right along with them.

He got back into bed, pushing me onto my back, burying his face in my neck and the valley between my breasts, his fingers touching me below and opening me.

The slow steady rumbles of thunder and of the morning grew louder as the rain continued to fall, silver splashes of water and lightning. I was glad we'd left the sliding doors open, glad the warm breeze was blowing inside.

I licked Edward's mouth and pushed his hand away with my own, opening wider and guiding him in to me.

He slid inside, gasping into my mouth as he did.

Every time felt like the best time. I thought this every time, as well.

Nothing new, nothing fancy. Just him and me, rocking together, pushing and pulling and taking and receiving.

"Love you," I said, my voice shaky with what I was feeling. It was so hard to express it in words, even words as boundless and grand as "love". Even trying to express it physically, with my body, sometimes felt inadequate.

"I love you, too, Bella. I love you." He showered my face with kisses, slowing down and moving the way he knew would make me come.

We'd had a year of practice; he knew just what to do, just how to push his body against me.

I clenched around him, squeezing my eyes shut in the fury of it all.

So good.

He pounded his release right back into me, clutching me tight as he came down.

"Let's do this always," I whisper-giggled, once again airy in my post-orgasm euphoria.

He nodded sleepily, tugging me close as we slipped apart.


	40. Minotaur

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Air"**_

_prompt - minotaur_

* * *

"When I was little I wanted a winged horse," I said, gazing out the window as we climbed higher and higher into the Berkeley Hills. "A white one."

"I'll bet you wanted to be a princess too," Edward chuckled, his hand leaving my knee momentarily so he could switch gears.

"I did, but not the kind who lives in a castle. Not… you know. Medieval." I closed my eyes, remembering. "I was obsessed with Greek and Roman myths. My dad gave me this book of stories with the most amazing illustrations when I was learning to read – "

"Greek mythology for a toddler? What happened to Dr. Seuss?"

"Shush," I laughed. "Listen. So anyway, he had to read it to me, obviously, but after a while I began recognizing the words and stories. I still have that book."

"So you wanted to be a princess from ancient Rome or Greece."

"Basically. I still love those dresses…"

"Bed sheets?"

"Stop pretending to be uncultured. I've seen the historical architectural digests and tomes and crap. I know you're well versed."

"Feisty."

I rolled my eyes and looked back out the window, hiding my smile. I knew what he was doing; teasing me so that I wouldn't be too nervous about going to meet his parents. Surprisingly, I wasn't as anxious as I thought I'd be, but I wasn't completely calm either. I guess I had… butterflies. Not the romantic kind.

"You played with My Little Pony, didn't you."

I looked back at him, a deep belly laugh bubbling up through my gut. "Why?"

"They had little Pegasus ponies…"

"How do you even know that?" I gasped, cracking up at the thought of Edward playing with tiny pastel girl toys.

"Two sisters, Bella," he said, sighing exaggeratedly. "Keep up, now."

"Oh, okay. Yeah. I had Windy Wisp and Crystal Princess."

"I'm going to act like it's normal for you to remember those names."

"It is."

Edward pulled into a hidden driveway suddenly. "Well, just so you know, I'll be your minotaur anytime."

"Eww," I giggled. "They're creepy and gross. Why can't you be my Greek god?"

"What, your Adonis?" he cooed, turning off the truck.

"You look like an Adonis," I admitted, blushing as I unbuckled my seat belt.

"Now _that's_ creepy and gross. That guy was a douche," he teased, grabbing me before I got out of the cab. "Hey."

"What?"

"C'mere."

"You c'mere."

He yanked me close and kissed me good.

"Minotaur. Tonight," he whispered, winking pervily as he let go.

Yeah, no. That wasn't happening.

* * *

The Cullen's home was incredible, built right on the side of the mountain so that it overlooked the bridges way off in the distance. The house was split level, spacious and open with lots of windows and sky lights. Plants everywhere. Lots of wood.

"This is what I want my house to look like," Edward said after he'd let us in.

I thought it was kind of weird that we didn't just ring the doorbell and wait for someone to answer it, but whatever. Come to think of it, Esme Cullen had barged right into Edward's house that one time too. Must be a family tradition.

"Mom," Edward called, motioning for me to follow him.

"In here," she called back.

We followed the scent of something mouth watering into the kitchen, which was of course state of the art and gorgeous.

"Hi honey," she said, tiptoeing so that she could kiss Edward. "Hi, Bella. I'm so glad you finally made it up."

Finally?

"Oh, sure. I'm… I'm really glad you invited me. Thank you."

She smiled, waving her hand. "We've been telling Edward to bring you forever."

I gave him a questioning look. He just shook his head slightly. "Dad home yet?"

"He's on his way. I asked him to pick up another bottle of wine. You like red, right Bella?"

"Sure."

"She prefers white," Edward said, leaning against the counter.

"No, it's fine," I protested, a tiny bit embarrassed. Esme seemed pretty mellow, and I didn't want her thinking I was finicky.

Esme retrieved a bottle of white from what I presumed was a wine cooler. "It's fine. I like white myself."

She poured us each a glass and then got a chilled pilsner from the freezer for Edward, even opening it for him. I thought it was funny; he didn't seem the type to need doting but, thinking of my own mother, that didn't stop a mom from doing it.

"Thanks, Mom."

"Sure. Listen, dinner's going to be another fifteen minutes or so. Why don't you show Bella around a bit?"

"Why didn't you tell me she'd wanted me?" I asked once we were in the next room.

"What?"

"That they wanted me to come sooner?"

"I didn't want to scare you off," he said, sipping his beer.

I frowned. "I thought guys were usually the ones afraid to meet the parents."

"My dad's a pain. We'll be here all night listening to his rambling and lofty pontificating."

"Um…okay? I thought he was a psychiatrist."

He shrugged. "He is. That's what he does... discuss, dissect, question, answer... when he finds out you go to Berkeley – like he did –you'll be in for it."

"Don't make me look forward to this so much," I said, making a face.

"He means well enough. I'm just giving you a heads up; he can be a little long winded and pretentious."

Everything Edward wasn't. I doubted this was a coincidence.

"Do you get along with your father?"

"I do, actually, yes. But I didn't always. My mother and Riley used to have to referee."

I stayed quiet, waiting for him to continue.

He pulled me along, nodding toward the living room, and then the dining room as we strolled.

"I'm all for feeding your head, but he's an academic snob. It gets old. My mother's just as educated as he is but she doesn't feel the need to showcase it every chance she gets."

"I like your Mom," I said, going to look out one of the windows in the study we'd walked in to.

"She likes you too."

"Yeah?" I asked, a little relieved. "I'm glad."

He nodded.

"So…"

"My dad's not that bad. Just remember if he starts to feel you out that he does this to everybody. "

We walked down the hall and into another room.

"This was my room, many moons ago."

It looked like a guest room now, classy but generic.

"My dad wanted me to be a head doctor, follow in his footsteps and all that."

I shrugged. "That's common enough."

"Yeah, it is. "

We were quiet awhile. I poked around, looking at a painting on the wall above the bed.

"I'm glad you brought me."

"Me too." His hand brushed my arm, briefly, purposely. "You had to meet 'em eventually."

I nodded, looking out one of the windows, imaging Edward as a teenager, coming home past curfew and throwing parties when his parents were out of town.

There was a distant thump; the front door. His father was home.

"Come on, I'll introduce you," Edward said, clasping my hand.

I wondered absently if it was for his benefit or mine.


	41. Fairy

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - Slippery_

_prompt - fairytale_

* * *

We decided to head downtown.

There was little doubt that our proximity to New York City was one of the primary advantages to attending Hofstra. Back before I'd sprained my ankle, Alice and I spent many a day catching the train into Penn Station and then roaming around the city, absorbing the sights and sounds. The shopping, the shows, the lights… we weren't as touristy as we'd once been, but we were still a little green.

I loved having Edward at my side. On the train, he linked our fingers and held our hands on his lap, much the way he'd done in Nashua months before. We chatted silently, watching the buildings and neighborhoods drift past as we headed away from Long Island.

"You sure you'll be okay today?" he asked as we slowed, pulling in to Penn.

"Yeah. I'll have to take it easy, but I want to do this. It's been too long since Al and I came here. Besides, there are things I want to show you."

We made our way up the escalator and out into the fading afternoon. This was one of the prettiest times of day, when everything was illumined in gold. Spring time in New York was not unlike a fairy tale, full of excitement and color.

"I think we should catch a cab, just this time," Alice suggested, nodding toward my ankle. "No need to overdo it."

"Okay," I agreed easily. She was right. We were in celebration mode but my ankle was still slightly sore, a little reminder to take it slow. I turned to Edward, who was texting someone. "You like chocolate, right?"

"Doesn't everybody?"

"Okay, good. Because I have the perfect place…"

The cab ride was relatively brief, considering the traffic, and soon we were walking into one of my favorite spots in the world.

"Max Brenner's Chocolate by the Bald Man?" Jasper read, chuckling.

I took a deep, chocolaty breath as we walked inside "It's so good."

"Like Willy Wonka's factory for kids," Alice sighed.

We found a seat upstairs and within minutes a server came to take our order. Everything was so whimsical, from the decor to the pop rocks that came with a side of chocolate dipping sauce.

After gorging myself on sweets, we wandered back outside, where the cool of early evening enticed us to stay outdoors. We walked aimlessly up and down the streets, wandering and talking.

By the time we caught the train back home we were dog tired.

"Your turn to get a hotel," Alice yawned when we stumbled back into the room.

"What?" I hissed, blushing. "We're not the ones who really need it…"

She cocked her head. "Really, Bella?"

"What – "

Edward and Jasper walked in, obviously having had a similar sort of conversation.

"Come on, Bella. Let's get a room," Edward said, making air quotes with his fingers. "I promise to be a gentleman. Unless you don't want me to be."

"I just feel bad making you pay… I'll go half with you, okay?"

"No, but let's go anyway."

I opened my mouth to say more but Alice clapped a hand over it.

Obviously I was the only one who had a problem with this plan. And really, when I thought about it, I didn't have that much of a problem, after all.

"Let me just throw a couple of things into a bag," I said. "Al, I'm taking the car."

"Go ahead."

We left the lovebirds and drove to a nearby Hyatt. Edward got us our room and we headed right up. My heart was skipping nervously around. Getting a hotel room with Edward felt very intimate, and I wondered what sort of expectations he had.

But true to his word, he was a gentleman. He let me take a shower and get changed first and then he went again, pointing to the room service he'd ordered. I was still full from eating in the city but I picked at the fruit.

We watched TV and played footsie and goofed off and talked. I was amazed at how seamless our reunion had been, almost like we'd never been apart. It felt to right being with Edward, even in these early stages.

And when he kissed me, I felt it all the way to my toes.

Edward rolled on top of me when things became heated enough that we just had to be closer. I remembered doing this the time before, how much I'd wanted him but how we'd known to keep things light.

I wasn't sure I quite felt that way this time though. He touched me and left funny little feelings in his wake, making me shiver into him a little.

So hard to say slow or no when my mouth was detracted, to even think it when all I saw, and smelled, and tasted was him.


	42. Medusa

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

storyline - "Embrace"

prompts - Medusa, enchant, movies

* * *

He Said

* * *

Bella sat up, looking like she'd just been through a war.

Which, in a way, she had.

"I need a shower," she said, in a very small voice. "I smell like," she sniffed her arm, "sex and condiments."

"Sex and candy," I said, chuckling appreciatively.

She gave me a funny look and inched off the bed.

So, she didn't invite me into the shower with her. Maybe it was just as well. I got up, got dressed and made my way downstairs, looking at her things along the way. Her house smelled nice, like baking things.

I slipped out the front door and returned to my cave, already relieved to be back on home soil.

Except for the four people playing Twister in my living room.

"What the hell's this?"

"Back so soon?" Rose asked, positioning her ankle near Jasper's knee.

"Yeah man, we thought you'd be up there for another – "

"Out. Everyone. I need to clean up."

They looked at me, all weirded out.

"I was in a food fight! For the love of God, just go! Please!"

Without looking to see if they were leaving, I jogged upstairs and started the shower, shivering in relief when I hit the hot water.

The fog was clear. I'd screwed Bella right out of my system.

I was rather proud of myself; I'd stood up to the She-Witch. Had come face to face with her and survived, not even turning to stone in the process.

* * *

She Said

* * *

It wasn't too surprising to find my house empty when I came out of the bathroom.

Edward wasn't exactly a stand up guy, no pun intended.

Wrinkling my nose in disgust, I peeled the dirty, ketchupy sheets from my bed and tossed them into the washer downstairs. I got dressed, ran a brush through my hair, and marched right next door.

Edward answered the door, looking and smelling rather clean and appealing.

"Thanks for saying goodbye, jerk."

He frowned, glancing back toward my house as if we were still in it.

"You can't just come and enchant me into bed and then leave like some cheesy cowboy in the movies. Have some respect."

"Did I enchant you?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows.

"Ugh." I turned to go but he grabbed my arm.

"Come in."

"No."

He rolled his eyes and yanked me inside. "You came over here because you wanted to come in so stop playing around."

I shrugged, folding my arms and looking around. Kinda messy, but not so bad. It smelled like… vanilla and lavender? I sniffed, looking surreptitiously for the source of such ridiculousness.

"Ya like that, eh? Glade Plug-ins, girl. Keeps the cave fresh," Edward informed me, pointing as we passed the living room.

"You play Twister?"

"Nah, that was Em and Jas. And your friends."

"Oh." I tried to shake the image from my head. "So anyways – "

"You didn't even invite me into the shower," he sighed, rooting around his fridge.

"I didn't invite you into my house or into my bedroom but you had no issues there," I reminded him.

"Ah, but you did invite me into your cooch."

"You're disgusting."

"That's not what you were saying a half hour ago."

"Well, I was horny. I'm over that now."

"Really?" He opened a beer and set it in front of me. "I think we should do it again."

"I'm sure you do," I said dryly, taking a sip.

"I'm serious."

"Oh, I know you are."

We eyed one another speculatively across the counter.

"I think you're selfish and rude and immature."

"I think you're hot." He shrugged. "Stuck up, whiny and high maintenance."

He thought I was hot. Hm.

"Admit it. You like this," he said, pointing to himself. "I see you looking."

Now I was the one shrugging, chugging more beer before I could either say something "stuck up" or terribly honest.

Suddenly he was in front of me, standing between my legs and taking my beer away. He broke the suction I had going and beer dribbled down my chin. He leaned down and licked it off.

"Come on, Ice Princess."

"Come where?"

"Come on." He kissed me, snaking his tongue into my mouth in a way that should've earned him a slap but earned him a groan instead.

"You're a two minute man," I whispered once he'd started nibbling on my ear.

"Not usually…"

"Mhm."

"I'm serious. You felt really good…"

A wicked case of the giggles descended upon me. I couldn't stop laughing.

He backed up, shaking his head. But he was smiling a little.

"Okay, Medusa. Way to slay a man's fragile ego."

"I'm sorry," I snickered, trying to get a grip.

He pulled me off the bar stool by my belt loops and led me into the living room.

"You, me. Right here. Twister. Whoever loses has to take the other one out to dinner," he announced.

I smirked, loving that he couldn't even ask me on a date properly.

"Fine."

He went first – this was a habit, I could see –and then I went.

Soon we were tangled up, grunting and laughing and cussing. I took my move and fell onto him, flattening him in the process.

"Ha I win!" he crowed, his face red from having been upside down.

I straddled him. "Says who?"

He reached up and unbuttoned my Henley.

"No front close bra?"

"Why make it easy for you?"

"So you were expecting some action when you came over here?" he asked, grinning.

I flicked his nose

"Oh, damn Bella."

I shifted, rolling against his erection just to watch his eyes flutter. Finally he stilled me and returned to my shirt, opening it further.

"Ah, girls. I've missed you," he said, twiddling a nipple through my bra.

I had to admit, they'd missed the bastard too.


	43. PeekaBoo

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - "**Sessions**" (the is the last one for this Edward & Bella)_

_prompt - Peek-a-boo_

* * *

In the end we chose the beach. We were lucky enough to love near some of the most beautiful shorelines I'd ever seen; why not take advantage?

I'd briefly entertained the notion of having the wedding on the bluffs where we'd first become acquainted, but it was too windy up there. Besides the inconvenience of guests having to hold on to everything before it blew away, no one would be able to actually hear the vows.

So, the beach it was, a mid-summer sunset ceremony. It was still pretty windy, but nothing we couldn't handle. We didn't "make" the guests go barefoot (although most of them did) but our wedding party chose to, as did we.

Of course, Edward's vows were poetic perfection – and somehow still so earnest and honest. Mine were a lot less flowery, but heartfelt nonetheless.

And so, two years after linked pinkies in the back seat of Seth's car, we were married.

* * *

The RV was my idea.

I had this fixation with driving cross county, hitting up national treasures and tourist spots along the way. There were so many places I hadn't seen. Initially Edward balked at the idea. He'd envisioned some romantic getaway in Bali or something, which sounded beautiful but… I wanted something a little different. I had a cousin who'd done the whole "road trip honeymoon" deal and she'd loved it.

Using some of the cash we'd gotten in the form of wedding gifts, we loaded the most tricked out camper we could afford and hit the road. I made it my mission to take pictures of every state line we crossed, and to grab postcards from the most random towns; the tiniest, the most hidden, the most quirky. And of course I nabbed ones from the big cities, too.

Edward did most of the driving. I offered to help, but he insisted that he didn't mind. We took our time crossing the northern states, enjoying the journey, letting every day be our destination.

We bickered over maps (even Google map, which was five kinds of ridiculous) and laughed at lame bumper stickers. I took pictures of everything. Edward took pictures of me.

I insisted we eat at as many Denny's restaurants as we could find. Edward became obsessed with seeing wild life, actually venturing into the areas that said things like "Warning: Bobcat Crossing."

Sometimes we parked at RV parks, other times at hotels, depending on our moods. We made another sex tape, parked right outside of Niagara Falls, and no one knew because we were in an RV. Ha!

At least, we hoped no one knew.

* * *

As usual, I woke up first. Trying to be quiet, and not rock the RV, I rustled up a cup of coffee and slipped outside. We'd driven to Maine the day before, pulling in to the Flat Rock Ridge Family Resort just as the day was fading. As always when we camped, Edward played his guitar while I made soup and sandwiches. We ate and talked outside beneath the stars, and I felt content in every way, loving that my life had come to this.

Drawn by the pink-turned-pale blue light peeking in through the blinds, I slipped into a pair of flip flops and went outside, steaming mug in hand. Because it had been sort of late and we'd been tired the night before, we hadn't gotten the chance to appreciate the beauty of the place. It was like living a little adventure, never knowing what I'd see upon waking.

The resort didn't disappoint - it was breath taking. We were right next to a lake, surrounded by trees and blue, blue sky. It was early enough that no one had hit the water yet and I savored my morning communion with nature, listening to the birdsong that punctuated the almost-silence.

Eventually I went back into the RV, wondering if Edward was still passed out. He'd shifted since I'd been outside and was half buried beneath the blankets. I tiptoed over and crawled back under with him, snuggling obnoxiously into his side.

"Peek-a-boo!"

Edward moaned and turned away, trying to pull the blanket with him but I held on, kissing his bare skin.

"Come now, don't be ornery. The day is young!"

"Exactly. Go back to sleep."

"Can't. I've already had coffee," I chirped, moving to straddle him. "I made that stuff we got from the health food store back in New York."

Edward grunted, trying to get away. I settled in more securely, satisfied when I felt his morning wood.

"Oh, yes. Breakfast of champions." I rocked back and forth raunchily.

"Baby, please," he yawned, his pretty green eyes finally fluttering open. "What time is it?"

"I don't know… like, eight?"

He made a face.

I shifted against him, feeling him get a little harder.

"You play dirty."

I nodded, leaning down to kiss his cheeks. "I can't help that I want you all the time."

"Lemme go pee," he said, grabbing my by the hips and easing me to his side.

I watched him walk to the tiny bathroom, his pajama pants nice and low.

Once the door closed behind him I jumped up to make sure the main door to the RV was locked. I peeled my own PJs off and got back into bed right in time for Edward to come back, still rubbing his face sleepily.

"It's really pretty out," I sighed, welcoming him with open arms.

"I'll bet," he said, joining me. "We can stay a bit if you want."

"Okay."

I threw a leg over him and he laughed, wrapping a hand around my butt and tugging me closer. "Good way to wake up."

"I know! See?"

"Mhm." He kissed me, biting a little on my lip. We made out for awhile, touching and kissing, his hands all over me, mine all over him.

"I wanted to be your last first kiss," he said, sliding his fingers between my legs.

My heart thumped with the memory. "You were. You are," I breathed, closing my eyes and melting into his touch.

* * *

_aaaand that's the end for those two. that'll probably be the most dreamboaty edward i ever write. sigh._


	44. Psychic

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Air"**_

_prompt - Psychic_

* * *

"Finally. The elusive Bella." Carlisle Cullen set his grocery bag down and clasped my offered hand into both of his. "It's nice to finally meet you, my dear; I'm Carlisle."

"Hi, Carlisle," I said, making sure to maintain eye contact. He was a handsome man, although I thought Edward looked more like his mother. "Thank you for having me."

"I told her we've been anxious to meet her," Esme said, joining us in the foyer. "Come on, I'm just setting the table."

Edward swiped up the grocery bag and we walked into the dining room.

"Can I help you bring anything out?" I asked Esme, wanting to feel useful.

"No, sweetie, that's all right – you relax. Carlisle can help."

I nodded, smiling at her. The dining room was sparsely furnished, most of the focus being the huge window looking out over the ravine and San Francisco across the Bay. It reminded me of the view from Grizzly Peak.

Esme and Carlisle brought out lasagna, salad, bread and wine. Edward had already told me of the divinity that was his mother's cooking; I couldn't wait to eat.

"I assume you like Italian, Bella?" Carlisle asked, winking.

I could almost feel Edward rolling his eyes. "You're so cheesy, Dad."

"What? She's got an Italian name."

"Yeah, she's fresh off the boat," Edward snarked.

I poked his thigh, giving him a look. "Actually, Mr. Cullen – "

"Carlisle."

"Oh, okay – Carlisle, my maternal grandparents are from Sicily so, you're correct. I'm named after my grandma."

"Wonderful," crowed Carlisle, pouring me a glass of wine. "I was named after my father. We would've named Edward after me, but Esme wouldn't hear of it."

Esme snorted, passing the large salad bowl down to Edward. "I wanted my children to have their own identities, thanks."

"I have my own identity," Carlisle protested.

"I know you do," she soothed.

I swallowed back a laugh. Edward had made his father sound like a pompous ass, but so far he seemed kind of easy going to me. And his relationship with Esme was absolutely awesome. They were so… touchy-feely. My parents were affectionate in their own way, I supposed, but nothing like this.

After enjoying our meal for awhile and making polite chitchat, Carlisle poured himself another glass of wine, clearing his throat.

"So, Bella. How's Berkeley these days? I hear you're majoring in American literature?"

"Um… well, I don't know. I'm sort of undecided… I know that's really cliché…"

"Well, everyone's undecided at your age." He broke off a piece of bread and popped it into his mouth. "But what direction do you think you'll end up going in? I'm sure you've got some sort of inclination…"

"She's taking lit classes, Dad. Who knows what she'll be doing in two or three years? I didn't know at that age." Edward sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"No, you didn't. But not everyone's like you."

"You're right, maybe Bella's psychic," Edward teased, and I was relieved to hear the playful note in his voice.

Carlisle shook his head, smiling ruefully. "Bella?"

"No, Edward's right," I said quickly. "I'm really not sure about anything yet; it's looking like a lot of lit classes at the moment. And a lot of general courses. I'll start narrowing things down next year."

"What professions interest you?"

_Oh Lord._ I could see what Edward meant now. I'd never been all that comfortable being in the spotlight. Meeting new people was awkward enough, but I managed to make do. Conversation with said people took getting used to, but I managed. Having to answer a bunch of questions, though? Ugh. I yearned for Rose's quick witted sass or Alice's natural verbosity.

"I … maybe teaching? They say that's all you can do with English degrees anyway," I joked lamely, glancing at Edward.

He squeezed my thigh, his eyes trained on his father.

"Nothing wrong with teaching. Listen, I'm good friends with several of the professors down there as well as members of the board of trustees. I can put in a good word if you're interested in becoming an assistant at some point."

"Thank you," I said sincerely. "I might take you up on that."

"It's never too early…"

"Carlisle," Esme laughed quietly. "Will you leave the poor girl alone? She's never going to come back if you keep on."

"What?" He held his hands up innocently. "I'm merely giving her options."

Esme nodded. "I know, but relax."

Carlisle waved his hand. "Fine, fine."

The conversation shifted to Carlisle's practice which then evolved into a medical case he'd been working on with several colleagues. He was nicer than I'd anticipated – I'd been ready for meanness and condescension per Edward's warning –but I had to admit he was pretty long winded.

I'd always been rather confident with my vocabulary but between Carlisle's medical terms and segues into everything else under the sun, I felt a bit inadequate. It must have been interesting, to say the least, growing up in this house. The kids were either really intellectually stimulated, or really adept at tuning him out.

Esme, however, kept her eyes on her husband the entire time. Even when Edward and I zoned out, she kept right up. No wonder they got along well; she listened to his rambling and he did as she asked.

After cannoli and coffee, Edward and I said our goodbyes, promising to return soon.

"So. What did you think?" he asked as we wound down the dark, twisty road.

"They're nice, Edward. You made your Dad sound like an ogre."

"He was an ogre when I was growing up. He's mellowed out a lot."

"Have you mellowed out a lot?"

"Probably." He scrubbed his hand over his face. "Like I said, there were a lot of fights in that house. I think he finally gets that I'm good at what I've chosen, though."

"You're amazing at it."

He chuckled, quietly. "Yeah, well can you see why it was rough for someone like him to accept his son was doing something as common and lowbrow as construction?"

I cringed at the bare venom tainting his words. "Yeah, I can see. "

"But whatever," Edward said. "I probably sound like a bitter asshole."

"No, just like he hurt you," I said carefully.

"Hmm."

We were silent after that. Eventually we came back onto even ground, the hills behind us and the streetlights before us.

I wanted to hold his hand, but it occurred to me that maybe he just needed time in his head to think.

"Am I dropping you home?"

"Will you come in?"

He hesitated, thrumming his fingers on the wheel. "Okay."

Outside the gate to my building he shielded me from the brisk night wind, his rough fingers gentle on the back of my neck.

"Thanks," he whispered suddenly as I turned the key, the warmth of his breath sweet in my ear.

"You're welcome," I said, understanding him.

I pulled him into the courtyard and kissed him the way I loved to, the way I thought about doing whenever we were apart.


	45. Eight Ball

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline -** "Slippery"**_

_prompt - eight ball_

* * *

Things really became unclear when he started pushing up my shirt.

I tangled my fingers in his red-bronze hair, giggling a little when he made contact with my skin again. It tickled, it felt good. He dragged a bra cup down with his teeth and paused, looking back and forth between me and my nipple.

"What? You've already gone there, you might as well take it off," I said, trying unsuccessfully not to smile at his impish expression.

"You sure? Because we can wait…"

"Oh yeah? Okay," I agreed, calling his bluff.

He frowned, resting his chin inches from my breast. I reached behind and unclasped my bra, then extended my arms.

"You're teasing me," he muttered, sliding the straps down and flinging the bra aside.

I shrugged, pulling my shirt down a little self consciously.

"We don't have to do anything you don't want to do, Bella," he sighed, easing to my side. "I obviously want you, but… you look a little nervous right now."

"I feel like I always look nervous around you," I confessed.

"Why?"

"I just… really, really like you. This is kind of intense already, even without - you know - sex."

He nodded, pushing a lock of hair from my face.

"I wish I had one of the Magic Eight Balls. Remember those? From back in the day?"

"Yeah."

"I'd ask it…" I blushed, knowing I was rambling.

"Or you could just," he trailed a finger up my belly, pushing my shirt up again, "ask yourself. We can stop whenever you want to."

Somehow, his words relaxed me. I snuggled closer, kissing him.

He kissed back, curving his hand around the back of my neck, pushing me on to my back and covering me with his body. Soon our shirts came off, leaving us skin to skin.

Edward slid down my body, kissing my breasts. "Hmm. You blush everywhere."

"Do I?"

"Mhm."

He pulled a nipple into his mouth, nearly undoing me with how good it felt.

"You're making this really hard," I moaned.

He started chuckling, letting go of my nipple with a wet slurp. "No, _you're_ making _this_ really hard."

I rolled my eyes, giving his ear a sharp, playful tug. "You know what I mean!"

"Maybe I want to make it hard for you," he said, looking up at me. "Maybe I just want to be a jerk and seduce you right into bed."

"You already did," I said, lifting my hips as he pulled down my jeans and socks and threw them on to the floor.

He had a really great body. A very toned stomach. I imagine all the muscles he had to use routinely while snowboarding.

When I finally stopped ogling, and looked up at his face, I caught him staring at _my _body. I laughed.

"What?" he asked, his eyes snapping up to mine.

"Come here," I said, holding out my arms.

He got off the bed and took his jeans off, then came to me.

"Feeling confident, are you?"

"I do have a mostly naked girl underneath me right now," he said, his breath warm and nice on the spot between my shoulder and neck.

I put my legs around his hips, hugging him closer.

We began kissing again, and touching. He ground against me in just the right way, enough to make me want it but not enough to get me to where I wanted to go.

"Okay," I whispered, trying to grip his boxers with my feet.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He kissed me harder, propping himself up on one arm so he could remove his boxers. And my panties.

My heart started pounding. We were really going to do this.

He was so delicious looking…all over.

"Can I go down?"

"Um… yeah," I said, startled he'd ask let alone want to.

"I want you to be really wet…"

"Me too," I said, sort of giggling and breathless.

He slid down, the stubble on his chin and cheeks scratching the sensitive skin high between my thighs.

Between that his wicked tongue I nearly lost my mind. I came under a minute for sure – it had been a while – and he was back up and ready to go before I'd even recovered. He rolled a condom and hovered over me, kissing me as he pushed inside.

I groaned into our kiss, grabbing his hair, tightening up inside, involuntarily.

We went slowly for awhile; hard, heavy strokes that made the bed shake.

"Damn, Bella," he said, his voice strained as he slowed down. "Just…damn."

We rolled onto our sides, facing one another. He hooked my leg up over his waist, moving in quick, shallow thrusts.

He came quickly that way. I pulled the comforter up over us and huddled closer, shivering as the a/c hit my sweaty skin.

I didn't mean to fall asleep just then. Everything that had happened, from my doctor's appointment, to being surprised by the boys, to our impromptu trip into the city had left me worn out.

And then, of course, being with Edward.

All I could think about as I passed out was how bad I'd miss him when he left.


	46. Divination

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Embrace"**_

_prompt - divination_

* * *

She Said

* * *

"Pass the chocolate chips, would you?"

Alice tossed me the yellow bag and resumed her place beside Rose at my counter. They watched silently as I added chocolate to the dough, mixing the little chunks through.

"What?" I asked, without looking up.

"Oh, you know 'what', Bella," Rose said, a dry laugh punctuating her words. "You know exactly 'what'."

"The last time we saw you, besides at work, you were covered in food gunk and making out in your kitchen with your neighbor," Alice added.

I began dropping little spoonfuls of cookie dough on to a cookie sheet.

"You guys want walnuts, right? Or no?"

They spoke as one. "Bella."

"Fine, jeez." I blew my hair out of my face and looked at them, finally. "We've been having tons of sex."

Alice's mouth dropped open but Rose nodded, motioning for me to continue. "Yeah, we know that. We _heard it_, which by the way, was a little disturbing."

Now my mouth dropped open. "What?"

"Wait, what do you mean 'lots of sex'?" Alice interrupted, looking excited. She snagged a couple of chocolate chips that had fallen by the wayside. "Like, every day?"

"Like multiple times a day. He's proving a point."

"What point?" Rose asked.

"That he's not a two minute man."

Rose snorted.

I gave her a warning glance. "Do _not_ say anything to Jasper or Emmett. I'm serious."

"Look at who's being all protective," she teased smugly. "A week ago you would've had that crap on billboards across town."

"Yeah, probably," I agreed, making ball after ball of dough.

"So has he?" Alice asked.

"Has he what?"

"Proven his point?"

"Oh! Oh, yeah. It's getting obnoxious actually. I had to tell him this morning that quality is better than quantity."

"You're so mean!" she squealed, her cheeks pinkening with glee.

"I have to be," I said, shrugging. "It's like, he smells weakness. Gotta keep him on his toes and all that."

"You guys are freaking weird," Rose said.

I washed my hands. "I know."

* * *

He Said

* * *

"So…" Emmett said, stretching out across the couch. "Bella, huh?"

I rolled my eyes and ignored him, instead trying to figure out what had happened to the extra Wii nunchuk.

"Jasper, did you take the black one home last time?"

"Naw, Em did."

I glared over my shoulder at Emmett, who held up his hands in defense. "Hey. I didn't know we were playing Zelda today."

"We're not; we're playing Super Mario Galaxy."

"What-evs…"

I threw a pillow at him. "You suck. Seriously. Go get it."

"But – "

"Dude!"

"Fine!" He stood up, cracking his back. "But when I come back, I want hear all about you being a good neighbor." He waggled his eyebrows. "Don't think I didn't hear you guys."

He swaggered off, helping himself to a bag of Family Size Ranch Doritos on the way out.

Exhaling roughly, I sank to the couch. Unfortunately, having sex this much after a drought was doing two things to me. One, it was making my dick chafe a little. And two, it was making me even hornier.

Hungrier than ever.

"You okay there?" Jasper asked, giving me a funny look as I adjusted myself.

"Peachy keen."

"Edward."

"Jasper. Yes. I'm hooking up with Bella, okay?"

"Is that all it is?"

"Why do you always get like this? Do you, like, subscribe to women's magazines?"

Jasper laughed, settling back. "No. But I'm not freaked out by feelings. Like you obviously are."

I shook my head, unwilling to take such obvious bait. "I'm not freaked out. Everything's fine."

"So why do you keep looking out the window? At her house?"

Crap.

Nothing came to mind.

"She's pretty hot. I think you should go for it – "

"Oh, I'm going for it all right. Every day – "

"Yeah, no. I mean you should try to actually be in a relationship with her. She's exactly what you need."

I grimaced. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"She's as insane as you are, for one. And she doesn't put up with your crap."

"I thought you were supposed to be my friend," I whined.

"I am. And as your friend, I'm suggesting you don't mess it up with Bella."

"Yeah, because I haven't already messed it up enough with all the pranks," I chortled, losing myself in the sweet memories of terrorizing Sugar Britches.

"Yeah, really," Jasper said, smiling.

I jumped up. "Wanna a beer?"

"Whatcha got?"

"MGD…"

"Piss."

"Rolling Rock…"

"Meh."

"Bells Kalamazoo Stout."

Jasper had the good sense to look baffled. "Yeah, man. Hook it up."

We went into the kitchen and I opened two brewskis, handing him one.

"Hm. Not bad." He took another sip. "That's intense. How'd you hear about it?"

I hadn't. I'd seen it randomly online and while the creepy picture on the bottle hadn't done anything for me, the name had… rung a bell.

Ha. Pun totally intended.

We polished off the beer and then another.

Jasper twisted around on his bar stool, looking at the oven clock. "Where the hell is Emmett?"

* * *

She Said

* * *

The doorbell rang.

I mentally chastised the skip in my heart. No. It just _did not do_ to be all giddy over Boy Next Door.

"Hey… Emmett."

"Hey, goddess of all things good smelling. You making cookies?"

I stood aside to let him in, knowing Rose would want him even if I didn't. "Go right ahead. Two of the batches are already finished."

"Oh man," he cried, taking off like his ass was on fire.

Twenty minutes later he belched in contentment, crumbs of a decimated dozen on his plate, chocolate smeared across his chin and milk dripping from his upper lip.

"So good," he groaned.

"Do they even know you're here?" I asked casually, fiddling with my oven mitt.

"No, but – "

The doorbell rang, again. Three knocks.

My heart skipped. I shut it down with a sharp thought as I went to open the door.

"Hey."

He looked me from head to toe, smirking. Then his nose started twitching.

"Yes, Edward. I made cookies. And yes, you can have some. Hi Jasper."

Twenty minutes later we were alone.

Edward's eyes fluttered as he polished off yet another cookie. "I can't take it," he said, his voice muffled. "It's too good."

"I just...get in these baking moods," I said, suddenly sultry. Dammit. Sore and tired and I still wanted more. "Sometimes I just wanna bake all night."

His eyes glittered pervily. "Yeah. I like those moods."

Opening another bag of chocolate chips, I poured them languidly onto the counter and started dragging my finger through them, occasionally putting one into my mouth. "It gets so hot in here when I've been baking… did you notice?"

"I noticed," he said faintly, his eyes on the paths my fingers were drawing through the chocolate chips. "Really hot."

I ate another chip, amused at how his gaze followed from counter to mouth.

"What're you doing?" he asked finally, slowly reaching for another cookie.

"Deciding if I want more cookies."

"And what do the chocolate chips tell you?"

"They say to go for it."

"Such divinations are evil, She Witch," he panted, coming around to my side of the counter. He quickly undid his jeans and dropped them on to the floor, boxers and all.

I unbuttoned my shorts and slid them off, walking away with every intent of going upstairs.

He stopped me and peeled my panties off, then lifted me on to the counter.

"I don't want to get chocolate in my cooch," complained, scooting away from the chocolate chips.

"Oh, it ain't chocolate you're gonna have in there," he grunted, touching me.

"Wash your hands."

"Don't move," he sneered, leaning over to the sink.

He dried his hands on my apron and pulled me to the edge of the counter, lining himself up with me.

He slid inside and started to move, alternating between fast and slow, deep and light.

Oh my, but he felt good. Edward's sexing skills were… looking up.

"Please tell me I can have cookies any time I want," he whispered, burying face in my neck. "Don't tease me anymore."

"I won't," I promised, holding on for dear life. "As long as you don't go anywhere else for cookies."


	47. It's all in Your Hands

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

storyline - "Air"

prompt - phrase "It's all in your hands now," he said.

* * *

Edward set down a bucket of paint, a tray to pour it in, and a roller.

"So just these two walls?"

"Yeah." He nodded, thumbing an invisible smudge. "These two. The other two are going to be a slightly different shade of green, really pale."

"I've never done this before," I warned, watching him empty the paint into the tray. I gingerly picked up my paint roller and dipped it.

"It'll be fine; you can't mess up," he assured me. "We can paint over any mistakes."

"Okay." I took a deep breath and made my first stripe of color across the blank white wall.

Edward backed slowly out of the room, pausing just inside the door. "It's all in your hands now," he said.

Edward had finally started building the home that he been dreaming of. For years he'd collected pictures, plans and prints, created his ideal of the perfect dwelling place. When we'd met, those blueprints had been a cherished scroll on the coffee table, something to be taken out and admired.

A wistful dream, a hopeful "one day I'll."

Much to everyone's surprise, when his grandfather passed away, he left the bulk of his estate to Edward. Carlisle Cullen the first had been a feisty, opinionated old man, known for his stubborn independence. I knew that Edward got along really well with him – they were rather close – but I hadn't realized just how tight they were until an unexpected chat one evening with Edward's sister Kate. She said that Grandpa had always been especially proud of Edward for forging his own path, and for seeking a livelihood that made him happy and not just his family.

If Edward's dad was miffed by the older man's will he didn't really show it.

So the house became a reality. Edward enlisted the help of several local contractors and builders he knew in the area and over the course of several months, raised up his home. Although home improvement was not my forte, I was over there as often as possible, helping out.

Hence today's painting project.

I worked for hours, switching my arms as they got sore. Honestly I was looking forward to the more detailed stuff, like painting the base boards. I'd helped Edward choose the colors for the few rooms he'd decided to paint. Most of them were off white with tons of woods and glass, but a couple of them – like the bedrooms – required something more.

I'd never met the man, but suddenly I wished the older Carlisle Cullen could have seen how his grandson chose to spend the money. He would have been so proud.

* * *

sorry so short. am falling asleep. brain is mush. more manana!


	48. Projection

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Air"**_

_prompt - projection_

* * *

Edward was already asleep when I got out of the shower, late in the evening.

We'd spent the day at the new house, me painting and him doing… everything else. This was different for him, he explained over sandwiches mid way through the day.

"Usually I get a job, and I just go. My guys and I are moving within a very specific set of boundaries. The owners know exactly what they want, and apart from a couple of tweeks we suggest, that's what they get."

"But this is yours."

"Right. I've… I've been visualizing this for years and now that I'm actually seeing the tangible result, it's overwhelming. I just want to…"

"Tweek your plans." I'd glanced at the mahogany wood counter he'd been carving for a couple of days. The original had been very basic, classy but simple. What we had now was a work of art.

He'd smirked. "Yeah."

Edward wasn't that emotive generally; he didn't wear his emotions on his face or his heart on his sleeve. But sometimes, like earlier, I could see hints of what excited him – and that excited me. I gazed at him now, still except for the rise and fall of his breathing.

Yawning, I put lotion on to my skin so I wouldn't feel itchy later and got into my pajamas. We usually weren't in bed by ten p.m.

It had been a long day. A good one.

* * *

"Bella."

Frowning, I rolled over, away from Edward's voice.

Yeah, I loved him. I loved sleep, too.

"I know you're awake. Come on." He poked my side.

I squirmed away. California King sized beds rocked.

Suddenly he was on top of me, caging me with his arms and legs.

Squealing, I shot my arms out, holding him at bay. "Okay, okay I'm up! What?"

He grinned down at me, his messy hair and bright eyes making him look really young. "Time to work. I'll get you breakfast."

"Denny's?"

He screwed up his face, lowering down to kiss me. "Fine. Even though I know of much better places."

"Food snob," I murmured, turning my face. "No kissing before I brush my teeth."

He got up, rolling me back over so he could smack my butt. "Hurry."

I took a quick shower, knowing Edward was anxious to get back to the new house, and got dressed. We ate at Denny's and then headed up the hill to begin our day. I had to admit, I could see the appeal in the process. There was something very deeply satisfying about building, watching emptiness become full and chaos become order.

The original projection for the completion of Edward's house had been five months, give or take. Other factors played in to this, like weather, unexpected costs and the guys' schedule schedule. Edward was paying Emmett and the others obviously, but they all had full time jobs that came first.

Still, it was obvious that this was a labor of love and Edward didn't mind taking his time with it.

I stood in the doorway for a few moments, watching him. He was lost to the world again; focused on the designs he was carving into what would be the kitchen counter. I loved watching him like this.

It made me want him, actually.

Navy blue Dickies, old wife beater, tattered work boots.

He'd turn me down though. His hands were filthy and likely full of splinters, and he was way too focused at the task of hand. I understood this about men, having spoken to my mother about Edward. She'd laughed and reminded me what Daddy was like when he was watching a game, or especially involved in a case at work.

"They focus on one thing at a time, baby. When it's work, it's work. But when it's you… you couldn't escape it if you tried."

I'd laughed and changed the subject, not really wanting to visualize my mom "trying to escape it". Although, I loved that my parents were so together-together. If Edward and I lasted, and I hoped we would, we both had really good examples of marriage to draw from.

After a moment Edward glanced up, laying down his carving knife and cracking his knuckles.

"Hey."

"Hey," I said softly, crossing the room to sit beside him.

"How long ya been there?"

"Awhile," I said, running my finger over the designs in the wood. "I didn't want to interrupt you."

He nodded, getting up and bringing me with him.

"I think…" he paused, holding me at arm's length and then bringing me close.

I marveled at how the smells of wood shavings and varnish had become some of my favorite in the world.

Closing my eyes and taking a breath of him, I waited for him to continue, knowing he would eventually.

"When is your lease up?"

"May."

"And… will you stay? There?"

I looked up at him. "I think so…"

We were quiet. He led me over to the window, where the sill was still a little rough around the edges. The trees outside rustled softly, rasping in the breeze.

"I'd love you here."

It took me a moment to hear what he'd said, and then another to absorb it.

He ran a hand through my hair, and then let go.

I turned around, seeing both him and the house differently.

His face was often the same, the mellow expression of acceptance and chillness I'd come to know. I'd even come to sort of love it, knowing that he was a master of keeping himself protected and private. His eyes though, those were his tell. I wondered if he knew.

He played poker a lot, and he won a lot. Obviously he was good at being plain faced.

But the guys he played with didn't know him the way I did, didn't talk to him about the sorts of things I did.

Didn't know, perhaps, that his eyes crinkled a little at the corners, or that they flickered back and forth between mine.

"I can see us here," he added. "Together."

Slowly, I nodded. "I… should talk to Alice and Rose. Let them know."

A tiny smile.

"And probably my parents. My dad's isn't going to like the thought of me shacking up with my boyfriend." I smiled, running my fingertips beneath the hem of his shirt, feeling his soft skin.

He stepped closer, bracing his arms on the empty window frame. "When will you know for sure?"

"I already know for sure."

The way he smiled, how I felt; I knew I'd made the right choice.


	49. Home

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

storyline - "Slippery"

prompt - "Home" (Michael Buble song and video)

* * *

Leaving Bella had been hard.

It always was.

We'd only been dating for a few months, and of those we'd spent just a handful of days together but already her voice was part of my mind's soundtrack, the thought of her behind my eyelids at night.

Sometimes I worried that I wasn't who she thought I was, who she needed me to be. Who I should be.

It had started as something silly, long distance flirting. I thought she was cute, she thought I was cute. She had a sweet voice over the phone.

When Alice told me Bella was back in New York, and that she wanted to go get her and bring her to Nashua, I'd been okay with it. I'd been more curious than excited, frankly. So what if she was pretty? Good looking girls were a dime a dozen in Boston. If someone was going to stand out they were really gonna have to be something special.

Bella was something special, all right.

Pink faced and balancing on crutches, sandwiched between two jerks trying to get her in the door. I'll admit, I wasn't ready for the way she made me feel, especially when she was standing right in front of me.

Just what I needed.

Feelings.

* * *

"Wanna come home with me?"

Bella looked up at me, her eyelashes wet. "Yes. But I can't."

"I know," I said, pulling her naked body on top of mine. "Don't cry."

She sniffled, shaking her head. "I'm gonna visit you next. When you're least expecting me."

"Do it," I urged, running my fingers through her crazy-tangled hair.

"You're so busy…"

"Yeah, so what? We're both busy… that's irrelevant."

She smiled, scooting up and settling a leg on either side of me so that she was seated right over my dick.

I slid my hands down the sides of her body, watching her shiver and squirm a little.

Then she started sliding up and down, her wetness getting me wet.

"Okay," I grunted, sitting up. Enough of that. I reached into my wallet and got out another rubber.

"Can I put it on?" she asked.

I nearly cried. If I was turned on before, that nearly did me in. I gestured for her to go ahead and then watched as she did. It took her a minute. Her cheeks were pink again. She giggled nervously.

"Just take your time, baby," I teased, wincing in horniness.

"Sorry!" she squeaked, finally rolling the damn thing on.

I pulled her back over me, kissing her and touching her until she was super wet and then sat her on my lap.

She slid down slowly, the palms of her hands flat on my chest, and started to move. It was tight for a second, but then we got it and man, it felt good. Maybe better than the night before?

Whatever. It was _all_ good.

She started riding me harder. I sat up again; her tits were right in my face so I sucked a nipple into my mouth, almost losing my mind with how good this girl felt, tasted, was. I felt her fingers gripping in my hair, her moans muffled.

I reached between us and fingered her until she came, then flipped her on to her back so I could finish at my pace.

Our eyes met then, a crazy moment actually – looking at someone when you're that deep inside them, sharing the knowing.

I kissed her, and came.

* * *

After breakfast we drove back to Hofstra. Jasper and Alice were in Alice's bed, fully dressed thank God, talking quietly and eating bagels.

"You're going to have crumbs in your bed," Bella said by way of greeting.

"Yeah," Alice said, nodding. "Probably."

I stepped closer to Bella, following her to her bed, trying to resist the urge to touch her skin, smell her hair. She looked right at me, like she knew, or like maybe she wanted the same things, and pulled me to sit with her.

"We're heading out soon," I said, gently pushing her hair from her face.

She just nodded.

"When are you going to come visit?" I asked in a low voice.

Her face brightened. "As soon as I can. If I don't have any major studying, I might try for this weekend. I'll ask Alice to drive me. Or I can catch a train."

"We'll figure it out," I said, shrugging.

We talked a little longer and then the girls came downstairs to see us off, just like last time.

I held her tight, kissed her mouth.

Leaving Bella was hard.


	50. Abode

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Embrace"**_

_prompt - Abode_

* * *

She Said

* * *

I stood on Edward's porch, waiting for him to answer the door.

He'd invited me over for dinner, and by the way it smelled I was in for something tasty. Thank God.

The door swung open. Edward stood there, in an apron.

"Welcome to my humble abode. You brought cookies, I see," he said, eyes brows waggling.

"Blondies, actually." I stepped inside, granting him a quick kiss-on-the-lips. "Decided to switch it up a little. Keep it fresh."

"Oh yeah, please keep it fresh," he muttered, giving my butt a quick squeeze.

Balancing the blondies, I smacked his hand away. "Behave."

He winked saucily at me and gestured for me to follow him into the kitchen. It looked like he'd used every pot in the place.

"Hope you're hungry," he said, taking my dessert and setting it on the counter.

"I am." I closed my eyes, inhaling. "Smells amazing."

"What do you want to drink?"

"I'll have what you're having."

"I'm having beer."

"Oh." I wrinkled my nose. "What kind do you have? Any Becks Light?"

Now he wrinkled his nose. "Points for requesting an import, minus points for wanting it light."

I rolled my eyes. "What-the frick-ever. Just give me whatever you got."

"I'll give it to you all right…"

* * *

He Said

* * *

She pursed her lips all prim and proper but she knew she loved it.

I retrieved two bottles of Bells HopSlam Ale and followed her into the dining room, where I'd set the table and presented dinner in serving dishes.

She glanced up at me, smiling a little. "I'm impressed."

"Good."

We sat down and began eating. She said grace first of course, silently. I watched her, wondering if she was also praying for safety from food poisoning.

"So what do you think?" I asked, once the conversation had lulled.

She held up a finger, washing down her food with beer before nodding. "This is so good. I love Chinese food… you'll have to show me how you did it."

"I will. One of these days. Blondies?"

"Ugh, not yet. I'm stuffed."

"Okay, okay." I sat back in my chair and belched, earning a yucky face from Bella. "What? It's considered polite to burp after eating in some countries. Lets the cook know how good the meal was."

"Right," she said dryly, standing up.

"Going for seconds?" I teased.

She smiled and grabbed my plate too, exiting the room. Good woman. Knew how to take care of her man.

* * *

She Said

* * *

He'd cooked, so I didn't mind helping clean up.

I found the trash can and stepped on the pedal to open the lid so I could scrape the leftover bits of food before rinsing the plates.

And paused.

And snorted.

It was full of take out containers of every size.

That sneaky little son of a monkey.

Not that I minded eating take out, but still.

After scraping and rinsing the plates, I went into the fridge for another beer. They were really good, actually, despite the weirdo labels.

Edward walked into the kitchen. "Grab me one, will you babe?"

"_Babe_?" I repeated, drawing out the 'a'.

He frowned, turning a little red. "Yeah…?"

I grabbed him a beer and popped the top before giving it to him. He accepted, watching me warily.

"I like it," I whispered, kissing him. He tried to stick his tongue in my mouth so I pulled away, taking a sip of my own beer. "I like it almost as much as I like takeout from Snappy Dragon."

He froze, and then grinned.

"You're an ass," I said, licking his bottom lip.

"But you like me."

"Apparently."

"That's cool. I like you too." He squeezed my butt again.

"Will you stop that?" I protested, stomping on his foot.

"Mm, I like when you get feisty and mad," he said, setting his beer down.

"Edward, don't." I began backing away from the glint in his eye. "Stop it!"

"You better run girl. Snappy Dragon wants a piece of that!" he roared.

He caught me mid way of the stairs.

Thank God his steps are carpeted.

* * *

A Year Later…

He Said

* * *

Bella was dozing in her back yard. You'd think she'd be more cautious, but time had made her way too trusting and when I'd offered her my "special" lemonade she'd simply taken it.

And now she was passed out. Perfect!

I tiptoed over to her, whipped out the sun block, and began to write on her stomach with it.

* * *

She Said

* * *

Someone was shaking me.

"Uh, hello hi?" I mumbled groggily, shading my eyes from the non-existent sun.

"Bella!" shrieked Alice. "You're red!"

"What?" I asked, sitting up. "Crap!"

That hurt. Ouch.

"You fell asleep out here…" Rose voice trailed off. She stared at my stomach, trying to hide a smile.

"What?" I slurred, too out of it to be snappy and too pissed to be mellow.

"Just…come on." They hauled me up and helped me inside to the guest bathroom, where I could look at myself in the mirror.

Sloppy white words were tanned into my sun burnt skin.

_Will you marry me?_


	51. Coop

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Embrace"** (this is the end of the line for these 2 crazy kids... i know some of ya'll wanted it longer, but i feel the story has had its run. love! )_

_prompt - Co-op_

* * *

She Said

* * *

"Did you get it?"

Rose nodded, setting her grocery bag down. "Yeah. One of the co-ops downtown had it… they were just about to close, too…" She took a spear of aloe from the brown paper bag and cut it over the sink. "Lay flat. Take your shirt off."

I did as I was told, and she smeared aloe gunk all over my sun burnt stomach. At least I was only sun burnt on one side. It would really have sucked to have a sore ass, too.

"Have you spoken to him yet?" Rose asked, washing her hands in the sink.

"He's made himself scarce," I sighed.

"I have to admit… I'm a little surprised he went this route. I mean, it was normal when you all first started dating but now…"

"Oh, we still have our pranks," I said, standing up carefully. "Just nothing to this caliber. Not anymore."

Alice had been watching from the corner of the kitchen, quietly munching on some granola Rose had gotten from the co-op. "Are you gonna say yes?"

I nodded, forgetting the discomfort for a second. "Yeah."

She squealed, clapping. "Oh my gosh! So exciting!"

"It really is," agreed Rose, folding her arms across her chest.

"Yeah. I'll say yes, but… I just need to get back at him. For old time's sake."

"What do you have in mind?"

* * *

He Said

* * *

I fiddled nervously with a beer cap, watching the two cars outside of Bella's. I knew the girls were there with her, but there had been any commotion or anything. Yet.

Obviously, she'd seen my message.

I smiled, proud of the sheer originality.

When night fell and Bella still hadn't called or come back, a twinge of worry made its way through me.

Surely she'd say yes. Right?

Right?

I'd give her 'till morning.

The next day, I got up and made breakfast, trying my hardest not to look at her house. It was a Monday, though, so I knew she had work. Kinda sucked. I needed to know what she was thinking.

It occurred to me she might be a little mad about the sun burn.

Right as I glanced out the window she got into her car and left.

Crap.

She was definitely pissed.

At five I was going out of my mind with worry. She hated me. She'd shut me down. She'd –

The doorbell rang.

I opened it cautiously. A delivery man stood on the porch, a pink box in his hand.

"Edward Cullen?"

"Uh, yeah. That's me."

He smiled and handed me the box. "Have a good day sir."

"Thanks, you too." I kicked the door shut and brought the box to the kitchen, where I opened it.

Cupcakes. A dozen. Little hearts all over 'em.

Ah, yeah. Loved me, she did. Grinning, I popped one into my mouth and began chewing, stuffing another in right away. They were good, kind of different.

They were hot.

"Aw, crap!" I ran to the sink and shoved my face beneath the stream of tap water, feeling tears run down my face.

Red velvet my ass. Those suckers had chili peppers or something.

Nothing worked.

I ran to the lap top and Googled "how to soothe a burning mouth". They suggested yogurt. Yeah, maybe if I was Bella I'd keep yogurt in the house but I wasn't! Next they suggested milk; that I had. I grabbed the carton from the fridge and downed half the carton.

Relief.

But my tongue still hurt like hell.

A burn for a burn. Touche, lady mine. Touché.

* * *

She Said

* * *

No sooner had I pulled into my driveway, than Edward's front door swung open.

If I didn't know any better I'd swear that man sat around all day doing nothing.

"Bella," he called.

I quickened my steps, knowing he was probably a little miffed.

"Bella!"

I opened my door but he was right behind me, pushing his way inside.

"Hey. Crazy. I have third degree burns on my tongue."

"And I have them on my stomach. And my boobs. No play time for you for awhile."

"So you're not mad at me?" he asked. He was talking sort of funny. I assumed it was his probably swollen tongue.

I shook my head, smiling sweetly as I sorted my mail.

"So…"

I pretended not to notice his awkwardness. "So…?"

His face fell. "You haven't even answered my question."

"Oh! You mean this one?" I lifted up my shirt.

There, in black marker over the red and white, were three letters: YES.

Edward grinned goofily. "Awesome."

I shrugged, kissing his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too. So, when are you moving in?"

"Um, no. I'm not getting rid of this place. You can move in here," I shot back, walking into the kitchen.

"Hell no," he protested. "My house is way cooler."

"It is not. You're insufferable."

"And you're a snob."

"But you love me," I reminded him.

"I do, She witch. I really do."

**The End**

* * *

**so, i am going on a mini vacation to destin with some close girlfriends starting tomorrow; i'll be back sunday. i've decided not to do wit-fits during these days because i really need to relax. i'm a bit burnt out, you know? and, i'm pregnant. :) so that adds to the tired-ness. **

**witfits will be back on monday, though, and starry eyed inside will update tuesday, as always.**

**have a great weekend!**

**xoxo**

**ro**


	52. Data

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Air"**_

_prompt - data_

* * *

The cab of the truck felt a little empty.

Bella was in school. I'd grown used to her sitting beside me, quietly looking at the passing scenery as we climbed up into the hills where the building site sat. My house wasn't in quite a prestigious area as my parent's, but it was a beautiful neighborhood. Trees, shade, sun.

So instead of her quiet smile and thoughtful glances I had just quiet and thoughtful. The guys were already at the house, working. I pulled in behind Emmett and jumped out, snatching the bag of doughnuts and muffins I'd bought from the bakery on my way up.

"How's it going, boss?"

I rolled my eyes at Tony and tossed him the bag. "Have breakfast."

"Thanks man…" His voice faded as I left the room, glancing around t the little things, the details. We were almost done now; by the time Bella got out of school for the summer she and I would probably be able to move in.

I walked in to the kitchen. Emmett was there, just finishing installing the doors on the cabinets. "Hey."

"Hey, Edward." He glanced briefly over his shoulder and nodded before returning to his task. "Just about done here."

"Yeah, I can see that. Looks good."

"The countertop looks good. I'm glad you put it in the other room though. It's nice…shouldn't be hidden in here," Emmett commented, brushing off his hands as he straightened up.

"I thought so too," I agreed. The counter top I'd worked so hard on, carving designs and varnishing, was now one of the features on what would be the TV room. It was a really spacious room, and I wanted to have a built in bar, something for entertaining. In the end I'd gone ahead and installed a regular granite countertop in the kitchen.

I observed him for a moment more, watching him tighten screws and test how the doors open and shut.

"All right. I'll be outside."

"Okay," he said.

* * *

Bella followed me in to the house. It was silent; everyone had gone home hours before.

We seemed to spend more time here than at my other house lately, even though the other one still had all the comforts of an actual home.

"Wow," she breathed, setting her bag down by the door. "Every time I come something's different. Are you guys done? It looks done."

"No, but almost. I finished the windows today."

She nodded, her hands in her back pockets as she wandered around.

I remembered the first time we met. She'd had make up on, and nice clothes; nothing overdone or slutty, just sexy. I'd been attracted to her right away.

Looking at her now, I realized I was even more attracted to her; fresh face, ponytail, sweatshirt. I'd been in love before Bella, but never quite like I was _with_ Bella. She spoke my language and I spoke hers.

The sun was setting, filling the house with red gold light. The electrician had just been by, and had begun doing the wiring but it would be another couple of days before we had electricity.

"Come here," I said, taking her hand. We walked into my empty bedroom…our empty bedroom… where there was a blanket on the floor.

She looked up at me, her cheeks slightly red. "What's this?"

I smiled and sat down to unlace my boots.

She sat on the blanket, toed her sneakers off, and laid back.

"I love when you do things like this," she remarked.

"I know," I said, joining her. "I…missed you today."

"You did?" Her whisper was rounded by a smile.

"I did."

Late spring, and the day had been sunny and cool. Night was always chilly though. I took my jacket off, and my shirt, and she took her sweater off, and her shirt, and we met in the middle, her chest soft on mine.

I leaned over her and kissed her, touching my thumb to the pulse point in her neck. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too" she sighed, her hands locking behind my head, her fingers ticking through my hair.

Pulling away a little, I took her in: her warm brown eyes burnt gold from the sun filtering through the trees and into our window. Her lips, a little open. The slopes and curves of her breasts, still in her bra, moving with her breathing. She didn't even have to use words; the data was precise, obvious.

I knew she loved me.

"What?" she asked, smiling a little.

I shook my head and lowered my hand to pull down the zipper of her jeans. "Just realizing things."

Her voice got dreamy. "What sorts of things?" She lifted her hips so I could pull her pants off.

"The way you love me is all over you. It makes me love you more."

She rolled onto her back and arched, slipping her hands behind to unclasp her bra. "You surprise me still."

We were both naked now. I ran my hand over her skin, down her thigh and then up, sliding my hand high between her legs. "Good surprises?"

"Yeah."

She got on to her knees suddenly, and moved languidly down my body, her hair dragging across my chest and stomach. She took me in her mouth and I tangled my fingers in her hair, careful not to guide her, wanting her to do it the way she wanted.

Before long the heat of her mouth and the touch of her tongue, the sucking and the sounds and the sighs had me past the point of being able to stop.

"I'm gonna come, Bella," I heard myself moan, hurtling toward orgasm.

She popped off just long enough to tell me she knew and then continued working me until I came in her mouth.

She went to the bathroom while I recovered, one hand thrown across my face like it could protect me from the brightness of all that felt good, all that was good.

I felt her next to me then, and before she could speak I kissed her hard, thrusting my fingers into where she was already wet and already mine.

* * *

_ thanks for all of the sweet reviews and well wishes on the pregnancy, guys. _

_also! i had such. a. good. time. with the girls in destin._

_lots of love to anniej13, angel, bittenev, barbarito69, AdeleVarens, jessypt, tkmoon712, hotandcoldfic, greenyellow714_

_be on the lookout for **'crystal beachin'** ..._


	53. Fruit

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Slippery"**_

_prompt - fruit_

* * *

It seemed like every week I planned on surprising Edward with a visit of my own, something came up. Once, an unexpected paper popped up on a Thursday, due on Monday. I spent the entire weekend in my room, typing furiously. Another weekend there was some huge rally thing and the office I worked for asked me to put in overtime to help alleviate the extra workload.

I'd had my period that weekend anyway, so maybe it had been for the best. Not that sex was all we did but still.

So there was always something. There were nights I was too sleepy to hold up much of a conversation and nights when Edward had a bunch of homework. We always managed to catch up, though. We still talked all the time. My favorites were his good night texts. Sometimes they were a little dirty. He'd tell me all he wanted were wet dreams of me, or that he still remembered how I tasted. Stuff like that made me feel both aroused and flustered. I'd have to roll so that I was facing the wall, not wanting Alice to peep over from her book or laptop and ask what U was blushing about.

But other nights the messages were sweet. He'd say things like he missed me, and that he hated the distance between us.

One night I was curled up in bed, eating Skittles and reading for my poly sci class the next day. The teacher had this tendency of springing pop quizzes on us. This felt a little high school to me, but it's not like I could do anything about it besides be ready.

My phone rang. My heart leapt.

"Hello? Edward?"

"Hey…" He sounded distant. And not in the physical sense.

"Hey. What's up? You okay?"

He paused, and then exhaled loudly, laughing a little. "The weirdest thing just happened."

"What?"

"Well, I called you and… some dude answered. And… it pissed me off, you know?"

I frowned in confusion, my heart starting to race. "What?"

"Yeah… wrong number obviously. I realized as soon as I hung up. I dialed 4-4 instead of 4-3."

"Oh. Oh, gosh. Yeah… that would've freaked me out too," I admitted.

"No kidding. It made me realize how easily that could be happening though, you know? On either side. It sucks."

"No, it wouldn't be happening on either side. I trust you," I argued, closing my book as I sat up.

"I trust you too. I'm just saying."

We talked for awhile, the way we always did, but I couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort.

I really needed to go see him. I didn't know how people managed this for months or years at a time.

* * *

Alice watched me from her perch on the bathroom counter. Because we didn't have a kitchen inside the suite, we had to make do with the bathroom sinks when it came to washing dishes.

I finished cutting up the fruit I'd bought from the deli earlier and tucked it into a baggie. Along with a sandwich and packet of crackers, this would serve as my lunch on the train. I didn't have much money and I needed to be frugal with what I did have.

"You all set?"

I nodded. "I think so. The train leaves around one, so I have plenty of time."

"Just be safe. I'm glad you're going during the day."

"Oh, me too." I put my lunch into a plastic bag and put that into my backpack. "All right. I'm going to head out."

"Don't forget your book." She handed me the novel I'd been reading.

"Ah, thanks."

We hugged and I left, feeling equally nervous and excited.

I rode the LIRR into the city and then caught a train to Boston. I'd bought a student discount package earlier in the year through Amtrak, anticipating trips like these, but this was only my second time using it. Still, it helped me save money. The buses would have been a lot cheaper, but a lot longer too.

I read most of the way into Boston.

Edward had given me clear instructions on how to get to Boston University from the train station. I made sure to scan my piece of paper before getting off the train, not really wanting "clueless tourist" to be written all over me.

Once on campus, I breathed a sigh of relief. I wasn't sure where Edward's dorm was from here, but he'd always said to just call when I showed up. I smiled, imagining his expression when he saw me. I wondered if he had class; if so I'd simply get a cup of coffee and read.

I quickly dialed his number. He picked up almost immediately.

"Hey, Bella." He sounded a little surprised, as I figured he would. I usually didn't call this early in the day. If anything I texted instead.

"Hi Edward. What are you up to?"

"Getting a bite to eat. What's up?"

"Where are you getting a bite to eat?" I asked, turning in a slow circle, scanning the crowd.

"The Fresh Food Co… Bella, where are you?"

"I'm here!" I said, unable to tamp down my enthusiasm any longer. "I took the train!"

He laughed. "Finally! Where are you exactly? I'll come and get you."

"Um…"

"What do you see?"

It looked like I was in a pretty busy area, so I tried my best to describe it.

"You're on West Campus; I'm minutes away. Stay right there," he said.

"Okay."

I ended the call. All around me, people were bustling to and fro – much like Hofstra. I imagined that Alice was settling in for the evening, probably having movie night with our suitemates.

There was a tug on my arm and then Edward was pulling me close, squeezing me so tight I could hardly breathe. I'd missed his smell.

"Oh my God I missed you," he said into my hair.

"I miss you too," I sighed, closing my eyes. This felt really good.

"You hungry? I was just about to eat."

"That's okay, I – "

"Bella." He made a face and took my bag, slinging it over his shoulders. He looked really good, wearing cargo shorts and a t-shirt. Usually he was in jeans when I saw him. "Let's go eat."

Like I could ever say no, to anything he proposed. "All right."


	54. Pickle

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Slippery"**_

_prompt - pickle_

* * *

Since the Fresh Food Co was residence dining, we opted instead for the Granby Street Café. It overlooked the Charles River and while being a little crowded at this time of day, had plenty of space for us.

"Gonna eat that?" Edward asked, eyeing my pickle.

"Yep." I swatted his hand away. "I always save my pickle for last."

"I love pickles."

"Me too."

We smiled goofily at each other. Even with a glob of mayo on his chin, Edward was too cute for words. I scoffed inwardly at myself. I really had it bad.

"What?"

I looked up, realizing my sighing had been out loud.

"Just… realizing that I like you way too much."

His face melted into the sweetest smile. "Good."

"Not good," I groaned, eating a salt n' vinegar chip. "You're too far away."

He shook his head. "Doesn't matter. We'll figure it out. We have next year. One of us can transfer."

I looked at him like he'd lost his marbles. "Um, it's not that simple Edward."

"Sure it is. People do exactly what they want to do."

For some reason, the simplicity of his words struck me. I mean, he was right. In the end, if it was something that we really wanted and that we were serious about, then yes. One of us could transfer. But who? I didn't want to feel like I was following some guy around – even if that guy was Edward – and I didn't want him to ever feel held back because of me. He had a career, no matter what happened with his academics.

"Do you think you'll continue to snowboard? Like, professionally?"

He nodded, swallowing his food. "Mos def. Thing is, I could get injured and if I do I'm screwed. So… I do need a backup plan. I don't really want to think about it, but I have to."

"Makes sense." I took another bite of my sandwich, savoring the flavors. It was really, really good. I always forgot how tasty deli sandwiches could be until I had them. "What do you think you'll study?"

He shrugged. "I like math… it comes easily to me. Maybe something in engineering. I really don't know at this point. This is my mess-up year, you know?" He grinned, polishing off his chips at lightning speed. "Next year I have to start getting serious about my major."

"I know how that goes," I said.

We finished our late lunch and chatted a little while longer about school and classes.

"Now you can see my room," he said, winking as he grabbed my backpack again.

"Are you sure I wasn't interrupting you?" I asked. "What would you usually be doing right now?"

"I had two morning classes and that's it."

I narrowed my eyes. "Are you sure?"

"There's a study group I go to sometimes on Fridays but it's out of the question. Only thing I'm studying right now is you."

That made me smile, I couldn't even help it. "Well then, lead the way."

Edward lived in what he referred to as "the brownstones". They were located on South Campus; he shared the two bedroom apartment with three other guys, only one of whom was home.

"Wanna get a hotel?" Edward whispered as he locked us into his room.

"We can't always be doing that," I giggled, shoving him playfully. "I'm not made of money and neither are you…"

"So what?" He nudged me over to his bed and toppled on to it with me, tangling our arms and legs. "It's worth it. And besides, Donnie snores."

I made a face.

"That's what I thought," he chuckled. "We can get a cheap motel… or maybe I'll just see if Donnie can stay at his girl's place. She's got her own bedroom in the towers."

"Oh. Well that works."

"If they're speaking. They're always fighting."

"We'll figure it out," I said, grabbing him by his t-shirt and pulling him close.

Finally. I could have him, taste him, and kiss him for real instead of thinking about it in my memories.

Or in the shower.

"Do you think about me in the shower?" I asked, nibbling his earlobe.

He squirmed, rolling on top of me. "Yep. Why, you think of me in the shower?"

I know I was red, even though I was the one who'd brought it up.

"Haha!" He tickled me savagely, rolling so that I was seated on top of him. "You so think of me when you're in the shower."

I grinned down at him, neither admitting nor denying.

He pushed his hips, groaning. "Oh man, that's kinda hot though. You…soapy… touching – "

"Okay!" I cried, leaning down to quiet him with kisses. "Yes. I do. And sometimes, if I'm alone, I think about you in bed too."

He snaked his hand up my shirt, rubbing my back. "Wanna do it?"

"When's… Donnie getting back?"

He shrugged, his eyes bright. "I don't know. Let's be quick."

"I'm all gross from the train," I complained.

"Come on…" He set me on the bed and pulled his pants to his knees, then started unbuttoning my jeans.

I very nearly argued with him, not wanting to be the star of a typical scenario where we got walked in on by his roommates, but lust won out. I helped him get my pants off, then my underwear.

He rolled a condom on and lay back, bringing me with him.

"Ow, hold on," I said, stopping the runaway train that was our coupling. "You gotta…you know. Get me ready."

"Ooh, sorry," he said, wincing. He pulled me down and kissed me, touching me down below while he did. After a minute I pushed his hand away and straddled him, sliding easily on.

I held myself up on his chest and moved slowly, closing my eyes and losing myself to the feeling of him inside me. We stayed that way for a long while, reintroducing our bodies to one another, sometimes fast and sometimes slow. He reached up and started touching me while I rode him.

I gasped, trying not to actually groan. Last thing we needed was the roommate who actually was home, getting a free show.

And then, I came and he came and we shuddered to a stop.

"Hope you're not too tired," he panted as I eased off, feeling sort of silly in a shirt and socks and nothing else. "Cuz we're doing it again later."


	55. Hayride

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

prompt - Hayride

* * *

Man, Bella Swan was a stone fox.

Slender, but not too, curvy… her ass in those jeans made me want to cry. She was wearing a little plaid shirt with them, and sneakers, nothing sexy. Beside the fact everything fit like a glove.

And her hair. Really long, lots of red in the brown. I fantasized about that hair all the time, saw her on top of me, her tits in my face as she arched back, the tips of that hair tickling the tops of my thighs as she –

"Edward."

I looked at Mr. Crowley. "Yes, sir?"

He cocked an eyebrow and nodded toward the back of the truck. "We're all filled up and ready to go."

I glanced back to make sure all the kids were secure and honked the horn once. "All right, let's go."

The year I'd gotten my license had been my first year doing hay rides. Every year the local elementary school had a huge fall festival and pumpkin patch. Everyone, even kids from neighboring schools, came to these yearly events. I myself had memories of running wild with my friends from when I was a little kid. When the opportunity came for me to volunteer by driving the truck for hay rides I couldn't help but agree to it.

So here I was, driving a pick-up truck of squealing kids through a trail in the woods and around the field where the festival was taking place.

The sweetest voice: "Got room for one more?"

I stomped on the brakes so fast some kid screeched at me to learn to drive.

Bella swung herself gracefully into the passenger seat. Apples. She smelled like apples. Her cheeks were red from the chilly autumn air. Her skin was so creamy; I tried not to ogle the V her shirt made.

"Hey Bella."

"Hi Edward." She smiled and tossed her hair back, turning toward the window. "I've been wanting to jump on all day."

Oh, me too girl. Me too. "Yeah? How's the painting going?"

She snorted, shaking her head. "We got a bunch of Picassos, what do you think?"

I grinned, nodding. Yeah, I remembered those days. Usually we got more paint on each other than on the pumpkins.

"This is your first year helping out?" I asked.

"Well, yeah. I wasn't in Forks last year," she said softly, tucking her hands between her legs.

"Oh yeah." I laughed uncomfortably, feeling like a dork.

"Not that – I mean…" she hesitated and I glanced over, surprised when her cheeks got even redder. "Not that you'd know that."

"I noticed," I assured her. "Hang on." This part of the trail got a little bumpy. We entered the woods slowly, carefully navigating through the naturally spooky trees and roots.

"Tyler and Mike are around somewhere," I said, searching the shadows. "They've been jumping out and freaking the kids out all day."

"That's so mean," giggled Bella.

"It's kind of funny actually. They do it mostly to the older kids."

Just then a deranged mental ward patient popped up beside Bella's window, yelling gibberish.

Bella screamed and started rolling up her window.

I accelerated, cracking up at both her reaction and that of the kids in the back. All I could see in the rearview was hay flying.

Bella punched my arm. "I can't believe you laughed!"

"I can't believe you screamed!" I said, cowering away. Yeah, Bella was hot - especially when she was all flustered.

We rode the rest of the way in companionable silence, making little comments and pointing out things along the way. I kept glancing at her, and sometimes she'd be peeking at me, too. I'd never really thought Bella Swan would notice me that way but it was pretty obvious that today, she had.

I was almost sad when we got back to the starting point.

"So… thanks for letting me tag along," Bella said, grabbing the door handle.

"Thanks for keeping me company. This can get monotonous."

"Really? It looks like you really love it."

I smiled because, yeah… she'd called me out. "I do love it. But I'm glad you came along."

She nodded and jumped out and just like that I was alone again, watching her walk away.

"Bella."

She turned around, her hands stuck in her back pockets.

"What are you doing right now?"

She shrugged, coming back slowly. "Nothing really. Angela took over at the arts and crafts station."

"Do you want to go again? For another ride, I mean?"

She smiled. So beautiful. "Yeah. You leaving now?"

"Probably another ten minutes…whenever the truck's loaded."

"Okay." She nodded. "I'll go grab us a couple of snacks. You like cider right?"

"I like anything apple," I said.

Her cheeks turned red again and she looked away, biting her lip. "I'll keep that in mind."


	56. Wood

_ All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Air"** (this is the end. sigh.)_

_prompt - wood_

* * *

I stood up, brushing my hands off. That was the last box. Everything else was either in the new house or packed into the truck, ready to go.

Alice dawdled in the doorway, a glass of juice in her hand. Neither of us had been as emotional as I'd expected, probably because we both knew we'd still see each other all the time. I'd no longer be living with her and Rose – they were getting a new place of their own at the end of the month – but we'd all still be going to school together. Plus, I'd scored a job for Alice at Whole Foods. She started the following week.

"You ready?"

I nodded, taking one last look around my room. All of my posters were down. I'd done my best to touch up the walls, feeling a little guilty that my penchant for decorating had left it marked. I'd been really picky about which posters and pictures came with me and which ones got the boot. Then there were the ones I'd keep for sentimental reasons, but wouldn't put up out of respect for Edward. He said he didn't mind, but I did. I wanted our new place to be our new place, not Bella's new place.

I picked up the box and carried it out to the truck, where Edward and Emmett were rearranging everything to make sure it all fit.

"One more," I said, resting the box on the edge of the tail gate.

Edward glanced over his shoulder. "Just leave it there; I'll get it."

"'kay." I walked back inside and got a bottle of water from the fridge before hugging Alice. "I'll be back tomorrow to vacuum and stuff, okay?"

She waved me off. "No worries. Just go do what you need to do."

I nodded, sighing. This apartment had been the location of so many good times for us, so many memories, conversations, movie nights and dinners together. I'd miss it.

Surprisingly Rose had been the slightly sad one. She was at work, and had said her goodbyes early in the morning before going in to the restaurant. She blamed it on PMS, but I suspected her heart was softer than she liked to admit.

Edward appeared just inside the front door, wiping his arm across his face. "You about ready to head out?"

His t-shirt was all dirty and his jeans were old and honestly, I just wanted to drag him into the brand new bathroom at our brand new house and have some good old fashioned clean up time with him. I loved when he was dirty. I'd have to tell him that.

I decided to, later.

"Yeah, I'm ready." I quickly drank my water and tossed the bottle, and then gave Alice one last hug. "House warming as soon as we're set up," I whispered.

Edward was so into privacy; he wasn't too keen on the idea of having a housewarming party but I wanted one. Nothing big or fancy, just an intimate gathering of our closest friends.

"Okay," Alice whispered back, smiling knowingly. "Call me."

I sat between Emmett and Edward in the cab of the truck. They were tired. Edward especially looked worn out.

"You okay?"

He nodded, running his hand through his hair. "Hungry."

"Me too. Genova's?"

"Hell yeah," he said, his spark returning with the mention of food.

* * *

"Remember the first time we kissed?" I asked him.

We were in the bathtub. I was washing his hair.

"Yep."

"What did you think of me?"

"I don't know if I was doing too much thinking…"

I flicked his ear and he cringed, twisting around to grin at me.

"I know what I was thinking," I said, bringing cupfuls of water up to rinse the shampoo out of his hair.

"What?"

"I was so attracted to you. You made me nervous."

"Why?"

"You just did. You seemed so much more experienced… and you were hot."

"Hm."

I gave him a small nudge and started washing my own hair. "I'm going to need the shower in a minute. I can't rinse properly like this."

"Okay."

I stood up and switched sides with him, inching through the water to where the faucet was.

The water felt so good. Edward had installed a really powerful shower head, one we could adjust depending on what we wanted.

I felt him in front of me, close. My eyes opened.

He gazed down at me, water dripping down his face and off of his eyelashes.

"I like you in the shower," I said.

He smiled.

"But I really like when you're dirty."

"Yeah?"

"Mhm. When you've been working all day, and you're in work clothes. It kind of makes me want you."

"Sounds very romance novel."

"What do you know about romance novels?" I laughed, turning around to turn the water off.

He grabbed me when I turned back around, kissing me.

We got out and dried off, watching one another. Silly smiles. He was so much more open now, much more than he had been a year ago.

Had it only been a year?

On one hand it had flown by. But on the other, it felt like we'd known each other forever.

Bed. I loved his bed. Loved how high it was off the ground, the cherry wood it was made from, the design in the headboard. He'd let me choose new bedding, but I loved his bed. I thought about my first night, and morning, in this bed. Thought about the things he'd done to me.

The things he'd do to me. That I'd do to him. With him.

"Where are you?" he teased, crawling into the sheets with me.

"I'm here…just thinking."

He nodded. He knew. He always knew.

This room had the prettiest sunlight at this time of day.

"I love making love in the day," I said, sighing when he slid inside.

He looked down at me, his pretty green eyes ever greener in the sun. "I love making love with you."


	57. Pick

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Slippery"**_

_prompts - pick, gather_

* * *

A breeze passed, ruffling the leaves in the branches. A couple of them floated down and I picked one up to tickle Edward with.

He squirmed, his head digging into my belly.

"Ow." I tickled him again.

"Sorry but you're tickling me. The punishment is swift and precise."

I snorted quietly, sticking the leaf in his ear one last time before dropping it. Edward rolled over and inched up so that we were side by side on the blanket.

It had been so sunshiny when we'd woken up that morning we'd opted to spend some time outside. Remnants of our lunch lay beside us as we lazed in the shade, enjoying the weather and one another.

"So what are we going to do about summer?" he asked, touching my freckles with his finger.

"I'll probably have to get a job so I can have something for next year."

"You definitely returning to Hofstra next year?"

"As far as I know," I said, shifting on to my side so I was facing him. "Unless something changes."

"It's changing."

I smiled at Edward's certainty. "You don't worry we're moving too fast?"

"Not really," he said, shrugging. "Do you?"

"Not really." I leaned over and kissed him, rubbing my thumb over his stubbly chin.

"Heeey Edward." A chorus of female voices floated over.

He frowned and looked over his shoulder at the four girls passing by, fluttering their fingers in a wave.

"Hi," he called, immediately turning back to me.

"Big man on campus," I teased, poking him in the stomach.

He rolled his eyes. "It's cuz they made this huge deal out of the snowboarding competitions. I guess a lot of people actually watched it…"

"I gather you don't like the attention," I guessed.

"I mean… I don't mind it but, whatever. It's weird to have people know your name when you don't know theirs. Like they know you or something."

"Yeah… I can see how that would be kinda weird."

"It is."

He pushed me on to my back and kissed me.

Though the grassy area we were sitting on was full of people, talking, eating, playing Frisbee, cuddling like us, I still felt a little self conscious. Not enough to actually make him stop, though.

"If you could live anywhere, where would you live?" I asked after a moment. I reached up to touch his hair, smiling at the way the wind ruffled it.

"Like, in the world?"

"Like in the country. Pick a state."

"New York."

I rolled my eyes, warming in pleasure.

"I'm serious," he said, laughing. "I wanted to go to NYU. It was between there and BU."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"I'd love to go to NYU," I said wistfully, thinking of how bummed I'd been when the financial aid they'd offered hadn't been enough to enable my attendance.

"Why didn't you go there?"

"Too expensive. Hofstra gave me a lot more aid."

"That sucks."

"I know. But I got to meet Alice, which was awesome… and I actually like Hoftsra now that I'm used to it."

"So it worked out."

"It did," I agreed, lying back again. "I like that you think about the future. About us maybe having a future. I feel like a lot of guys wouldn't."

"I probably wouldn't have before but it's different with you. It's weird."

His words made my heart skip a beat. I knew he liked me; it was obvious by his actions but every time he verified it, with words, it was that much more special.

"Edward."

He lay flat beside me, gazing up at the trees and sky.

"You're making me fall for you. Like… really fall."

He nodded slowly, understanding what I wanted to say. What I was definitely too scared to say out loud.

"I'm falling for you too, Bella. It's not as bad as I thought." He grinned impishly.

I smacked his arm playfully. "Maybe it's because we don't have to see each other all the time. You know?"

"Maybe. Or maybe it just works."

"Would you really move to New York for me?"

"Yeah, especially if the courses fit my goals. I've changed my mind a few times so I'd have to go over it all again."

I ran my hand through his hair. He closed his eyes, smiling.

"I think I love you, Edward."

"I think I love you too. But I'm not sure."

"Shut up," I giggled, rolling on top of him.

"Does this mean you're in the mood? Cuz if that's how it goes I'll tell you all day long… I'll yell it." He turned his face the other way and started yelling. "I love Bella. I love Bella in the morning, I –"

"Shh," I hissed, yanking his face back and kissing it. "I'm always in the mood. Didn't you know?"

"I knew it," he sighed exaggeratedly. "From the second I saw you I knew."

"That I was the one?"

"That we'd have a fantastic sex life."

"You're such a jerk," I laughed, letting him roll me to his side.

We kissed again, and if I'd been anyone else I'd have been totally nauseated at the PDA.

"And that you were the one," he whispered.

* * *

_in the words of Agnes from "Despicable Me" _- "it's so FLUFFY!"


	58. Longing

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline -** "Hayride"**_

_prompt - longing_

* * *

Bella rode with me for the rest of the afternoon. She kept her window up after that first time in the woods. As soon as we'd cross from the open field into the shadows she'd tense up.

"You sure you want to come?" I teased, sneaking a peek at her as she death-gripped her seat.

"Yes, Edward." She was rolling her eyes; I could just imagine. "I'm just preparing myself for those idiots…"

"I'll accelerate if they jump out. Anyway, we have little kids in the back. They probably won't bother us."

And they didn't.

They did, however, emerge at the end of the day, masks tucked under their arms, to help cleanup. I was excused from the efforts since I'd spent all day carting little kids around.

Not that I'd minded. Having Bella ride with me had made the hours fly by.

She stood beside me, watching me clean out Mr. Crowley's truck.

"Well, I'm gonna head out. Angela's giving me a ride home."

I nodded, closing the door. "I thought you had a truck?"

"I do, but I left it at home today. Made more sense to carpool. Jess came with us too."

"Oh, okay." I shifted awkwardly, a little nonplussed by the pull this girl had on me. I didn't want her to leave. It was ridiculous.

She smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear as she turned to leave.

"Bye, Bella."

"Bye, Edward." She gave me one last smile and walked away, catching up to Angela and Jess.

I found Mr. Crowley with my father, drinking cider. I had a feeling it was different cider than the stuff we'd been downing all day and if I could've gotten m hands on some I would've.

"All set, Edward?" Dad finished his drink and tossed the cup in the trash.

"Thanks for driving all day, son. Those kids had a great time," Mr. Crowley said, accepting his truck keys.

"It was nothing," I assured him. "We had fun."

"You sure did." He winked and clapped me on the back. I reddened, knowing he was preferring to Bella. "Good talking to you, Carlisle."

"You too, John." Dad turned to me, giving me his keys. "I know you've been driving all day, but…"

"I knew you were drinking the good stuff," I mumbled.

"Just a pint, but you know how your mother is. Come on; let's go before she calls again."

"What about my car?"

He paused, shrugging. "I'll bring you back tomorrow."

"Fine." I didn't like leaving my car out all night but I knew it would be safe.

"So," he said as soon as we were buckled in. "Looks like you and the sheriff's daughter got close."

I made a face. "Her name's Bella."

"You like her?"

I turned on the radio. "The 1980's called, Dad. They want their sitcom bonding session back."

He straight up snickered, but I wasn't about to answer his question.

It was bad enough that I was fiending for her like a damn junkie.

* * *

Monday morning.

My only salvation was the shower. I was exhausted, having stayed up way too late finishing some stupid assignment I'd forgotten about 'till the last minute.

That and I'd had to whack off before falling asleep.

The longing had been building inside me all weekend. I'd managed to stave it off a couple of times but it the end it was like, screw it. Who knows, maybe she wanted me too.

Maybe she was in her shower, right now, thinking about me.

Which made me whack off again.

Which made me late.

Bella's locker was a couple down from mine. It's how I'd first noticed her. One day I looked up and there she was closing her locker at the same time. She seemed oblivious - to everything; me, other guys checking her out, the curious stares newcomers generally got.

I'd had my eye on her for quite some time, but she wasn't the only one. There were a couple of candidates around. A couple went to our school, a couple didn't. I kept a low profile, choosing not to be showy about my hook ups. Most of the morons at school had absolutely no game.

To them, it mattered what people _thought_ went down.

To me, going down _was_ what mattered. Down, in or out.

Nah, I wasn't like that. Not exactly. But I wasn't lonely, either.

So. Bella. She was wearing those jeans again, I thought. Unless all her jeans fit like that. I mourned the onset of cool weather, making it necessary for the girls to cover all that pretty skin.

"Hey Bella." I thought randomly of my shower time fantasy and quickly shoved it to the back of my mind, not wanting such naked lust plain on my face.

She came closer and leaned on my locker, smiling up at me. Her cheeks were pink again, from cold weather or blushing I couldn't tell. "Hi. I was just thinking about you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She gathered her hair to one side and then let it go; a nervous tic.

"What were you thinking about?"

She shrugged, looking down. "Yesterday. It was fun."

I moved closer, leaving barely an inch between us. "It was fun. We should do it again sometime… minus the kids and maniacs in the woods."

She laughed silently, her eyes all lit up. "We should."

First bell rang, rudely interrupting our chat.

Bella adjusted her backpack. "I gotta go. See you later?"

Without really thinking about it, I reached out and touched her. Her shirt had ridden up a little when she'd moved her bag. I pulled it back down gently, letting my fingers touch her skin.

She stared back at me all serious, her sweet smile replaced by something else entirely. Something kind of intense and real.

Frankly, it made me hard.

"Thanks," she breathed.

I nodded wordlessly and watched her walk away. I was always watching Bella Swan walk away. But it was different this time.

Because she looked back. Twice.


	59. Insomnia

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

storyline - **"Hayride"**

prompt - insomnia

* * *

Jasper flicked his straw wrapper at me.

I glanced up at him. "What's up?"

"You've been holding your sandwich for ten minutes and you haven't eaten any. That's what's up," he said, frowning. "Leah ignoring your calls?"

I made a face. "Dude. We hooked up, like, once. Months ago."

"Just saying…"

"In fact, you seem to bring her up quite a bit. Want her number?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Alice might be small but she's about all I can handle."

"Where is she, anyway?"

"Helping some new girl in her AP history class. They should be here in a second."

My stomach did this weird little tensing thing. "New girl? Bella Swan?"

He nodded, taking a huge bite of food.

So Jasper's girl knew Bella. Interesting.

No sooner had that conversation died down the girls showed up, sliding their trays on to the table.

"Hey guys. Jas, you remember Bella right? Edward? Have you guys met?"

Bella smiled and nodded, sitting beside me hesitantly. "We met."

"That's right, you were at the carnival Saturday," Alice said, unwrapping her plastic fork. "How'd that go?"

"Bella came with me on a couple of hayrides," I said, peeking over at Bella.

"Aw, fun," Alice sighed. "I used to love those when I was little."

"It was fun," Bella said.

She crossed her leg beneath the table. Her foot came into contact with my leg, and then instead of moving, she let it stay. I smiled into my food, hardly even noticing that I'd finally finished my sandwich.

* * *

Well, the ceiling hadn't changed since the last time I'd stared at it.

I laced my fingers across my stomach and sighed. How many nights had I lain here just like this, unable to fall asleep? I hated it. It was tempting to ask my father for something to help, but the possibility of getting hooked on something just didn't appeal to me. At all.

So, here I was. Bored. Awake.

After a moment I got up and dragged the laptop into bed with me. I hadn't been on Facebook in awhile, so I checked that. There was a comment from Jasper on my wall which made me think of Alice and Bella. Quickly I clicked on Alice's profile and sure enough, Bella Swan was one of her friends. I friend requested her, wondering how long it would take for her to notice.

I surfed around for awhile, reading up on various things until I began to feel drowsy.

Ah, finally.

I'd just begun to shut the laptop when a little ding informed me of new email. Curious, I checked my inbox and sure enough, there was a message from Facebook.

Bella Swan had accepted my friend request.

My eyes slid down to the clock in the corner of the screen. It was three thirty. What was she doing up?

I went back to Facebook to see if she was still on, and she was. After messaging her with my personal email address, I looked at her pictures. She'd lived in Phoenix before, and God bless her. There were a ton of photos featuring Bella and friends in little shorts and bikinis. But there were also a lot of her with some guy. She didn't act like she was attached but now I had to wonder.

Her profile didn't link her to anyone, either, but some people preferred to keep that sort of stuff private.

I went back to my Gmail account and now there was a request from Bella, asking to chat.

Yeah, now we were getting somewhere.

I accepted and messaged her immediately.

_Hey Edward_

_Hey Bella. Up late?_

_Yeah. Had a lot of studying and now my brain won't sleep. U?_

_Same. Well, I often can't sleep_

_:(_

_It's cool. I catch up sometimes. Saw ur pics on FB_

_O no! lol. Don't look at those_

_Why not?_

_Because._

_So, is that ur boyfriend?_

_Ex._

_O ok._

_Why?_

_Just wondering_

I smiled, knowing she was probably doing the same thing; we were feeling each other out. We'd had a pretty easy going time of things talking in the truck during the hayrides, but this was remarkably easier. It also felt kind of secret, chatting with her late at night, nothing but the glow of my screen. I liked it.

I wondered what she was wearing.

Well, maybe if I played my cards right, we'd start having those types of conversations too. For now I was all about Bella in any capacity, even the innocent, cutesy stuff.

Speaking of which, she'd been silent a minute.

_Bella?_

_Yeah, I'm here looking at ur FB pics_

_Haha._

_I'm serious!_

_Ok_

_No girlfriends?_

_Nope_

_Why not?_

_I go out sometimes, but u know how it is._

_Not really_

_Not everyone is girlfriend material_

_Oh. I guess that goes both ways._

_Yeah_

_Are you boyfriend material?_

_Depends on the girl_

_Ah._

_;)_

_What's your type, then?_

Man, what a loaded question. I loved it.

_You._

_Lol_

_Are u really laughing out loud?_

_Ha! No…_

_Didn't think so_

_Shush_

_So what's ur type, Bella?_

She took her sweet time, but eventually she owned up to it just like I knew she would.

_You._


	60. Sleep

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline -** "Slippery"**_

_prompt - sleep_

* * *

We didn't sleep much that night.

Everything suddenly seemed wide open in terms of our future, the possibilities. I wasn't naïve enough to automatically assume we'd be together forever – we were still freshman in college for heaven's sake – but thinking about the next year with Edward was enough for me. It kept the fire going, the hope.

I'd never felt for anyone the way I felt for him. You hear about falling in love and it always seems so nebulous and vague, something that happens to other people. I hadn't expected this at all; it was completely interfering with the delicate life plans I had and I couldn't have been more grateful.

Eventually we dozed off, only to be rudely awakened by Donny. He'd stayed the night at his girl's dorm as promised, but an early morning argument had sent him back.

"Sorry bro," he said, barging into the little room and tossing his backpack on the floor.

"Whatever man, just shut the door on the way out," Edward mumbled, cuddling closer to me beneath the covers. I was glad I'd worn pajamas. Imagine if we'd fallen asleep naked?

"You're not gonna introduce me to your girlfriend?"

"You met her yesterday, Donnie. Come on, we're trying to sleep."

"Yeah, right," Donny chortled, finally leaving.

"He's quite a catch," I whispered, my eyes still closed.

Edward snorted. "Oh yeah. Maybe I can hook the two of you up later on."

I flipped on to my other side and pinched him good, knowing he'd respond.

We goofed around for a while, tickling and kissing, until I rolled on to him and straddled him. He allowed himself to be conquered, grinning up at me from a mess of adorably crazy hair.

"Hey Edward," I whispered, flattening myself against him.

"Hm?"

I sucked on his neck for a second. "Wanna do it?"

* * *

The train ride home was both good and bad.

Good because I was still riding the high of my weekend with Edward. We'd made so many plans, and plans of plans, back up plans and alternate plans, way into the realm of silliness.

Bad because, well, I was traveling away from him and not toward him.

At least we both lived on the east coast, up north. Things could have been a lot worse and I knew that.

I shifted in my seat, trying to get comfortable. Besides being overtired and in need of a nap, I was sore. I'd never had that much sex in so short a time period. Actually, thinking back, I didn't think I'd ever had that much sex, period.

I'd already texted Alice to let her know I was on my way, as well as my mother, who knew I'd left campus for a weekend trip. I'd told her all about Edward – leaving out certain details obviously – and she was pretty on board with it. She was all about having college experiences.

This was more than just a "college experience" to me, but hey. That would be proven in time.

* * *

Alice and I were deep into our Sunday night routine: ice cream and movies.

It was our weekly "last hurrah" before classes resumed for the week so we always tried to relax this way. She'd had a pretty low key weekend herself, sticking around to study and get assignments down. I'd down my reading on the train, not wanting to be bogged down when I got home.

"I can't believe he'd actually switch schools for you," she sighed, rooting around her carton for a little chocolate fish.

"I know… sometimes he doesn't seem real," I said, adjusting my pillows. "But then burps or farts or something and that helps."

She snickered, shaking her head. "Gross."

"What, Jasper doesn't do that in front of you?" I teased.

"Yeah," she sighed wistfully. "He does."

I tried not to laugh at her being so serious about something so ridiculous.

"What?" she asked, seeing my face. "Oh shush, Bella! I miss him."

"Then go see him… can't you drive up? I'll go with you if you don't want to drive alone…"

"I don't know. Maybe. But it's like, more of a long term missing him. He always wants me to stay, but then he feels guilty for making me feel guilty. Ugh. It's a mess."

Sometimes I thought that they made it more complicated than it needed to be, but I never said that. I had no idea what Alice felt like, not really. She and Jasper had been together for a long time before she'd left for college; I knew what they had was the real thing. I just wished they could figure it out.

"Well," I said, returning the lid to my ice cream. "Just know that I'm here for you and that I'll go even if it's last minute. And you won't have to entertain me; you spend the time you need with Jasper. Or if you want him to come here, I can go visit Edward again."

Alice grinned. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"Of course I would."

She nodded. "Okay. I'll figure something out. So which one did you want to watch? Love story or scary story?"

We smirked at each other. "Scary."

* * *

yeah, this prompt was 'sleep' which is exactly what i needed yesterday, hence the late admission.

;)


	61. Dream

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Hayride"**_

_prompt - dream_

* * *

Things tend to look a little different by the light of day. I wondered what Bella would be like at school, if she'd stay shy or bloom coy.

"There're Eggos in the toaster for you," Mom said, grabbing my face in a kiss on her way out the door.

"Thanks," I mumbled. I was never that hungry in the morning but if I didn't eat now I'd be starved in about an hour and that was just a pain in the ass.

I grabbed the waffles and headed back upstairs, eating them dry as I perused my closet.

Bella had said I was her type but if her type was anything like the douche bag she'd been with in her pictures I took offense. I was decidedly a little more laid back than he looked.

The laptop was still near my bed, where I'd left it the night before. I smiled, again wondering what Bella was going to be like today. I would take it easy with her; I wouldn't tease her too bad.

I'd be nice.

For awhile.

* * *

She was wearing a long sleeved shirt that molded to her body. I could see everything but her nipples.

And that just made curious to see what kind of bra she had on.

"Hi Bella."

She spun around, already starting to smile. "Hi… what's up?"

"Dream about me last night?"

She giggled, shoving me lightly. "You wish."

"I do wish," I agreed, nodding.

She cheeks pinkened nicely and she shut the door to her locker. "Yeah, well. There wasn't much time for dreaming by the time we went to sleep, was there?"

"True," I said. "What class do you have first?"

"Spanish today. You?"

"Spanish," I echoed.

"For real? Are we in the same class?"

I nodded, falling in to step with her as we walked down the crowded hall.

"How come I never noticed?" she wondered, frowning.

"I sit in the back with Jasper," I said. "So I can see…everything."

"Ah." She pulled a tube of chapstick from her pocket and quickly glided some on. "You like to watch, huh?"

I grinned at her double entendre. "Absolutely."

She grinned back before looking away, replacing her chapstick. I watched her rub her lips together, all the while trying to ignore the tightening in my pants.

We walked the rest of the way in silence. In reminded me of the hayride, how one of us would glance at the other and get caught, and how we'd smile like idiots.

Bella made me an idiot.

I held the door open for her and followed her into Spanish, allowing myself just a quick peek at her butt.

Yep, just as ripe for the pickin' as the day before. Apples.

I groaned inwardly.

Bella paused in the middle of the aisle and turned to me. "Where… exactly do you sit?"

I nodded toward the back row and took the lead, liking that she was following me. We sat down and got our books out, pretending like it wasn't something different that we were sitting together for real and on purpose.

She swung her hair over her shoulder and without a thought I reached out to touch it, wanting to see if it felt as soft as it looked. Bella peeked up at me, smiling shyly.

"What?" I asked, resisting the urge to smell her hair too.

"You are…such a mystery," she said, cocking her head.

I let her hair go, watching wistfully as it floated back down. "Me? You're the mystery."

"I'm an open book," she retorted.

I tried not to get too caught up on _that _imagery.

"So am I," I said.

She eyed me sideways.

"I am, Bella," I insisted. I glanced up at the front to make sure the teacher wasn't looking and then dragged Bella's desk closer.

She blinked in surprise, not expecting it.

"I want you to know me. And I want to know you."

She nodded. "Me too."

The lesson began. The teacher began writing something on the board.

I leaned closer to Bella, closing my eyes at the scent of her, allowing my lips to almost touch her ear. She shuddered and leaned imperceptibly closer to me, her fingers closing around her textbook, crumpling the top page a little.

"When can I know you?"

"Senor Cullen. Poco apropriado. A little distance, por favor."

I pulled away from Bella, smiling serenely, and did as I was told. I didn't move Bella's desk away, though.

* * *

At lunch, I was about to head in to the cafeteria when Bella caught my eye. She motioned me over.

"What's up?" I asked, my heart beating a little faster at the sight of her.

"You want to 'know me'?" She held her hands up in quite marks.

She looked a little serious. Uh oh.

"Uh… yeah – "

"Well, Edward, maybe you should ask me out properly before propositioning me." She had me going for a second, but then a smile broke through.

I laughed, unable to keep from touching her. She let me grab her hand.

"You scared me for a minute," I said, pulling her to me.

"Good," she said. "You're too cocky."

"Not me," I said, feigning hurt. "I'm a nice guy."

"Maybe I don't want nice," she countered, so close I could kiss her.

"I'm not nice," I said, earning a little laugh. "But I'm very, very good."

She inhaled deeply, her eyes fluttering a little as she pulled away again. "I'll bet you are. It scares me."

"Why?"

She shook her head. "You… you're just…"

When she didn't finish I let go of her, not wanting to come on too strong. The game was fun, but it had to played right, and only if she was willing.

"I like you," I said simply, shrugging.

Her smile was like a kid's, Christmas morning.


	62. Jeans

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Hayride"**_

_prompt - jeans_

* * *

Bella and I started chatting late at night. Not all the time, but a couple times during the week. When Friday morning rolled around, and I realized I'd fallen asleep with laptop on again, I knew I needed to step up.

Namely, ask Bella on a date.

I knew she'd say yes, but it was still nerve wracking – especially because I really, really dug this girl.

We met the way we always did, looking at each other from our lockers. I got what I needed and walked over to her, trying to keep my eyes on her face and away from the way she filled her jeans.

"Good morning."

She tilted her head, her eyes shining. "'Morning to you."

"Listen…I wanted to know if you were busy after school? Um, tonight. Do you want to go out? With me?"

Wow. I'd just broken my own record for worst ask-out ever.

Bella bit her lip and looked down, but I still saw the smile dimpling her cheeks. "Yes. I'd like that. What time?"

"Seven seems… typical, right?"

She laughed. "Yeah, that sounds good."

"All right."

"All right."

We stood there a moment longer, smiling and dawdling and being generally dumb.

"Okay, well, I have to go… deal with this assignment. I fell asleep before I could finish it," I said.

She nodded, stepping aside. "Okay. See you later."

Unable to resist, I tugged her hair softly. "Bye."

She reached up and ran her fingers through my hair. "You always touch mine," she said, shrugging as she walked away.

Great. Now I was going to be fantasizing about all the scenarios in which Bella Swan could run her fingers through my hair.

* * *

I decided to keep things simple: dinner and a movie. No, I wasn't winning on the originality front, but at least I'd get to know Bella a little better over dinner. And movies were always fun.

Besides, there wasn't much to do in Forks. We did meet on a hayride, after all.

In my mind, there were two scenarios: one, there would be plenty of groping after the movie. Maybe we'd go parking at First Beach. The second was that Bella would be a good girl and keep me at arm's length.

I wasn't sure which one flamed my fire more.

Chief Swan gave me the once over…twice… when I knocked on the door. He and I knew each other from various events in town, but obviously I'd never had reason to come to his house before. Obviously that changed when his sweet, nubile daughter came to live with him. As far as I knew, I was the first one to date Bella. If things went my way, I'd be the only one.

I was a relatively good judge of character. From what I saw, Bella might be a keeper.

"Good night, Chief."

"Call me Charlie, Edward."

I nodded. "Sure, thanks."

"She'll be down in a minute. You'll have her home at a decent time?"

Again, I nodded. "What time?"

"She knows," Charlie sighed, moving away into the living room.

All righty then.

Thankfully Bella appeared at that moment. "Hey!"

"Hi, Bella," I said, feeling like a dweeb taking his date to the junior high dance. I swear my voice cracked. "You look great."

And she did. It looked like she had make up on. She always looked incredible, but tonight she'd amped it up some. Wow. I had my fingers crossed for scenario one.

Her eyes swept me from head to toe. "So do you," she remarked, walking into the living room. I heard her say goodbye to Charlie and then we were walking down the path to my car.

"So I figured we could grab a bite to eat at the diner and then catch a movie downtown. That okay?"

She nodded, allowing me to open her door for her.

This was new for me, a far cry from chilling out and hooking up. Things felt different with Bella.

And they continued to feel different. We talked all through dinner, and while I found myself being more and more attracted to her, I wasn't obsessing over her physical attributes for once.

Then again, we were sitting across from one another. Once she got up to use the bathroom, I got an eyeful of her ass and that was that. Adjustment time.

"So what time does the movie start?" she asked, sliding back in to our booth.

I consulted my phone. "Like, nine fifteen. We should head out."

"Okay," she agreed.

I paid the bill and we walked back out to my car, passing Mike and Tyler and some of the guys from school on their way in. They looked appreciatively at Bella, eyeing her ass, but honestly it didn't bother me much. Bella was with me. She liked me.

They could look all they wanted.

Bella laughed quietly once we were inside the car.

"What?" I asked, smiling a little at her as I pulled onto the road.

"You never do what's expected," she said.

"Like how?"

"Like… my ex used to get so mad when guys would check me out. It was cute at first but it got really old fast. But you just… I don't know. You're…"

"Not worried," I said. "You're here with me. If you wanted to be with Mike or Tyler you could've been."

"Exactly," she said. She reached over and put her hand on my thigh. I switched hands on the steering wheel so I could hold her hand, surprised at the physical reaction I was having to such an innocent touch.

"You never do what's expected either, " I said.

She squeezed my hand and we listened to music the rest of the way.

I pulled into the parking lot of the local theatre a couple of minutes later. Bella let go to unbuckle her seatbelt and then turned to me.

I could feel her eyes burning into me so I looked over at her, raising my eyebrows.

"Edward?"

"Hm?"

"Are you gonna kiss me later?"


	63. Light

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Slippery"**_

_prompts - light, paint_

* * *

Summer time was fast approaching and with it grew my ambivalence.

I couldn't wait to see my parents again. It's amazing how, when you're in high school, all you want is to get away and then as soon as that happens you're desperate to get back.

The problem was I was going to be incredibly far away from Edward. If I thought Boston to New York was rough, it had nothing on New Hampshire to Arizona.

"What?" Alice asked.

I shifted on to my side, watching her narrow her eyes in concentration as she painted her toe nails.

"Just thinking about summer," I said. "It'll be rough being that far from Edward."

"Do you guys have any plans? Any trips?"

Sighing, I shook my head. "No. I know I won't be able to afford it and I don't expect him to do it, either. I mean, it would be great if he could but… I'm not getting my hopes up."

Alice nodded, capping her bottle of polish. "Maybe I can get the boys to road trip."

"To Phoenix?" I squeaked. "That would take forever!"

"Who knows?" She shrugged, wiggling her toes. "It could be fun."

"Yeah, maybe," I said dubiously, not giving that possibility much thought "It's gonna be a great summer for you and Jasper, though."

She smiled, nodding. "Yeah. And… I don't know. He's going to try to look into some local community colleges here. We might…. Try to get an apartment together."

I gasped, sitting up. "That would be perfect! Alice! Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to screw things up for you… we always said we'd room together next year…"

"Yeah, but it can get expensive and if you and Jasper can find something together, I think that's perfect," I said. "And anyway, Edward and I were looking into NYU… "

"Yeah, I know. I figured that would work itself out."

I was really, really glad Alice and Jasper were giving things a proper chance. They'd managed to make it through a year apart and I felt like if they could do that, they could do anything.

"When will you know about the financial aid for NYU?"

"I'm still waiting… any day now I guess," I said, lying back.

NYU had always been my dream school, with Edward or without him. Of course now I was intrigued by the idea of us both attending. I could only hope things would work in our favor.

"So you're sure, then." My mom still sounded a little skeptical about my switching to another school, despite the fact it had been my first choice all along.

"Yes. If they'll have me… I want to go. My grades have been really good, like even better than they were senior year."

"Okay," she sighed. "Just make sure you keep us in the loop. I'll be the one dealing with these financial aid people just like last time. It's such a headache. But it's worth it."

"Thanks, Mom," I said, yawning. I'd had really early classes and now it was late, nearly midnight.

We said our good nights and hung up. I fiddled with my phone, wondering if I should call Edward. We'd seen each other two weekends before, when I'd gone to visit him again, and were hoping that he could swing a visit next weekend. All in all we'd done a pretty good job of maintaining a schedule, talking and seeing one another when we could.

I really wanted to say good night though. Edward didn't have classes until later on Thursdays, and it was Wednesday, so it was safe to assume he was still up.

The phone rang and rang and just as I thought it was going to go to voicemail, picked up.

I could hear music and people.

"Hello? Edward?"

Nothing. Just more noise. Well that was annoying.

"Hello? Helloooooo?"

Still nothing. Huffing in irritation, I disconnected, figuring Edward would see that I'd called later.

Then, on a whim, I called back again. This time it picked up almost immediately.

"Hi, Edward's phone," a giggly voice answered.

I bristled, hating the immediate uncertainty and dread I felt. "Yeah, hi. Is Edward there?"

"Oh, hold on."

I could hear music and voices again, and then the girl's voice. Then the line was disconnected.

Ugh. I wasn't going to do this. I wasn't going to get pissy and jealous and insecure because there was absolutely nothing I could do, not from so far away. I trusted Edward.

Except, I was pissy and jealous and even insecure. I didn't want some stupid girl having access to Edward's phone, answering it. I remembered the night months ago when he'd tried calling me and misdialed, getting some guy.

Taking a deep breath, I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth. Hopefully Edward would call back quickly. I wasn't going to imagine anything else at this point.

My stomach felt like it was full of bricks.

* * *

Alice hadn't shut the drapes all the way and a thin, bright shaft of light woke me the next morning.

Groaning, I turned over in an effort to fall back asleep. My phone dug into my side, reminding me of the night before.

Squinting sleepily, I checked to see if any texts had come through.

There were none. I sent Edward one instead.

_Loved calling you last nite and having some girl answer. :(_

I figured if we weren't at the point where I could feel comfortable saying something like that then we had problems.

I drifted off again and woke to my phone vibrating.

"Hello?" I croaked, my eyes closed as I held the phone to my ear.

"Bella?"

"Hey."

"Listen… I didn't even know you called last night. I'm so sorry. I got a little wasted… these kids had a party down the hall."

"I figured," I said dryly.

"What's wrong?"

"Did you get my text?"

"Um, yeah. I think that was Katie. She's on the next floor."

"Awesome."

"Bella. Are you seriously mad at me?"

"No, Edward. I just… it sucked trying to call you and then having some chick pick up. Obviously she didn't tell you someone had tried calling. You know how it feels. It sucks."

He was quiet a moment. "Yeah. It does. I'm sorry… I didn't even…"

Edward partied sometimes, I knew that. I wasn't going to begrudge him that. But I already missed him and knowing that other girls got to see him while I couldn't stung.

"Just forget it. I was calling to say good night. That's all. And… now it's morning so it's irrelevant."

"It's not irrelevant."

For some reason I felt like crying. "Okay."

"I love you, Bella."

"I love you too," I whispered. "I'm gonna go, okay?"

"Okay," he said, sounding unsure.

"Everything's cool, I just need to wake up a little," I said. And I really did. I wasn't sure why I felt so emotional.

* * *

I got back from work study around four thirty.

I'd just walked back into our suite when there was a knock at the door.

"Bella, there's a delivery for you downstairs."

My heart skipped a beat; I just knew this had something to do with Edward.

Sure enough, an FTD guy stood downstairs with a bouquet of flowers.

"Hi," I said, standing awkwardly at the door.

"Hi, Bella Swan?"

I nodded, opening my arms for the flowers.

"Have a great day," he said pleasantly.

"Thanks, " I said, stepping back into the building.

There was a little note attached.

_I know this is super cheesy but I'm trying to make a point. I'll see you tomorrow. Love, Edward_


	64. Gourds

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Hayride"**_

_prompt - gourds_

* * *

To say that I was surprised would be an understatement.

I grinned down at Bella, slowly unbuckling my seatbelt. "Definitely."

She grinned back, her cheeks pink as usual.

We got out of the car and started walking toward the theatre. Now the energy between us was really crazy. I didn't know if I was going to be able to wait until "later" to kiss her, but I guessed I'd try.

Neither of us was very hungry, since we'd just eaten, so I grabbed a couple of sodas and led the way inside the darkened room.

"Where do you want to sit?" I asked Bella.

She nodded toward a middle row. I moved aside to let her go in first.

"So…" I began, settling back.

Bella looked up at me, a small smile playing at her lips.

"Are you always this forward?"

She shrugged. "Sometimes. Depends on the situation I guess."

"You know I wanna kiss you, right? I've been wanting to."

She nodded. "I could tell."

"How?"

"You look at my mouth all the time."

I'm glad that's all she thought I was looking at. "True. You have a nice mouth."

"So do you."

"You're going to make it really hard to concentrate on the movie," I teased.

"Sorry," she said, not sounding sorry at all.

The previews started soon after. I didn't go for it during the movie – that felt too predictable – but I did take her hand in mine.

Feeling her fingernails scratch lightly against the palm of my hands… she was driving me crazy and she probably knew it too.

Guess you don't need a bedroom to engage in foreplay.

* * *

If I thought the tension had been bad before and during the movie, now it was just unbearable.

We chatted about the movie, but I could tell it was just something to fill in the awkwardness.

Bella reached her door and instead of opening it for her I trapped her against it.

She turned around, her face lit up in surprise.

I pocketed my keys and slid my hand around the base of her neck, drawing her closer.

Her eyes closed, and I kissed her.

It started off slow and sweet. I even kept a sliver of space between our bodies. That got old quick though. She was so warm; I could feel it.

I pressed closer, touching all of her with all of me, and put my other hand in her hair, desperate to touch. It was just as soft as it was in my fantasies. And so long.

When I licked my tongue against Bella's lips she opened them, moaning really quietly.

Instant boner.

I started to step back but she grasped my belt loops, not letting me.

Smiling, I broke away from her. "You like feeling that?"

She reached up and kissed my chin. "I like feeling you."

* * *

I didn't want to drive her home.

Like, really really didn't want to.

But I had to. This was our first date. Being alone with Bella right now would turn me into an animal. I figured we could wait until date number two for that.

I pulled up outside Bella's house and jumped out so I could walk her to the door. I'd expected the lights inside to be on, but they weren't.

"Is your dad… still up?" I asked cautiously, eyeing the windows.

"He's at work."

"What?"

"He's at work. He texted me during dinner to say he had to go in for a couple of hours. This happens all the time, no big deal."

I frowned. On one hand, this was great; I could make out with Bella a little more. On the other hand, I didn't like the thought of her going into the house by herself. Forks was a sleepy, chill little town but still.

"It's okay," she said softly, tugging on my jacket.

"Well… can I at least check the house with you before I leave?"

"Sure," she agreed. "Come on."

She unlocked the door and I followed her inside.

"I'll wait here," I said, not wanting to seem to overly eager.

"Psh, come on."

Shrugging, I pushed off from the wall and followed her around as she turned on lights.

We ended up in the kitchen. There was a bowl of tiny pumpkins and weird looking vegetable things on the table.

"What _are _these?" I asked, holding one of the mini pumpkins up. "My mother buys these every year and they just sit there."

"They're gourds," Bella said. "They're mainly decorative."

"But what's the point? Can you eat them?"

She laughed. "Probably, I don't know. I buy them because they're cute. And because they feel like fall."

"But you can't eat them."

"You're such a guy," she teased, lightly punching my arm. "Everything has to have a practical purpose. Maybe aesthetics are enough of a purpose."

"Maybe," I said, replacing the pumpkin.

"I'll see if I can make you a tiny pie out of it," she giggled.

"Or, you could just…"

"Just what?"

I encircled her in my arms and squeezed her tight. "Just this." I kissed her again, open mouthed from the get go, letting her know what was up.

She linked her hands around my neck and kissed back just the same.

"I gotta go," I whispered after a minute, regretting every word.

"I know," she said, nodding. "Thanks for tonight. And for coming in."

"Thanks for the kisses," I said, biting lightly at her neck.

"You're welcome," she breathed, shuddering lightly.


	65. Mums

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Slippery"**_

_prompt - mums_

* * *

It was tempting to just take the day off, knowing Edward was coming, but I didn't. I probably would have driven myself crazy that way, cleaning and pacing around and being dumb and nervous because of the misunderstanding we'd had.

Although, his flowers had gone a long way to rectify that. I didn't think I'd ever gotten flowers, unless I counted corsages I'd received for junior and senior proms. Edward's flowers were sitting on top of my desk, a bright and vibrant spray of mums, begonias, marigolds and baby's breath.

I felt fluttery whenever I looked at them. Even though Edward didn't have anything to apologize, not really, I was still touched that he would send flowers.

Once class was finished, I went to work study and stayed until about four.

Alice was staying in the library late, studying with a group for an upcoming test. She said she'd probably be back around seven or eight, depending on whether or not they went out to eat afterwards.

That was fine with me. It guaranteed alone time with Edward. We needed to talk face to face.

He texted me at five, saying he'd just gotten off the train and was catching a cab to campus. I ran a brush through my hair and brushed my teeth, just in case. Amazing how different it was to actually expect his visit; usually we kept things loose and spontaneous.

I knew it would only take him about ten minutes to get to Hofstra, maybe less, so I went downstairs to meet him. My heart leapt when the cab pulled up. I watched him pay the driver and jump out, swinging his backpack on to his shoulder.

"Hey." His face broke in to the most perfect smile.

"Hi," I said, hugging him. "Missed you…"

"Missed you too," he said. I could feel him smelling my hair, like always.

I squeezed him extra tight and then moved away, tugging him toward the door.

"So… you got the flowers."

"I told you I did," I said, not letting go of his hand as we walked upstairs.

We passed my suitemates on the way in. They were pretty familiar with Edward by this point, and then grinned when they saw him.

"Brownie points for the flowers," Heidi teased.

Edward nodded, shrugging. "Gotta do what you gotta do."

I pulled him into my bedroom. He lit up when he saw the flowers.

"What, did you think I'd have 'em jammed in a trash can?" I laughed, poking his side.

"No," he laughed back, dropping his backpack to the floor. He bent over and scooped me up from the legs, hanging me upside down over his back before dropping me on the bed. I hooked my foot around his calf, making him fall down with me.

"Sorry you were mad," he murmured, kissing my nose.

"I wasn't really mad at you. Just like… bummed out. I bet Katie likes you, doesn't she?"

Edward smirked. "I don't know, Bella. I don't care if she does."

"I care."

"Why? I don't like her."

"What if she tries to seduce you while you're drunk?" I asked, kidding around but not really.

He wrinkled his nose. "I'd have to be in a coma to allow that. Dude. She's not even my type."

I threw a leg over him, rather possessively. "Good. Cuz you're my type."

"And you, obviously, are mine."

"I'm yours," I echoed, lightly kissing him.

He hitched my leg higher and moved in closer. I deepened the kiss, missing his mouth, how it felt, how it tasted.

"What time does Alice get back?" he asked, sliding his hand up my shirt.

"Couple of hours…"

He snapped open my bra.

* * *

"So I have good news."

I raised my eyebrows.

"Looks like NYU is a definite."

"Really?" I squealed, ignoring the looks I was getting from other people in the deli.

Edward nodded, beaming down at me. "Got the letter this morning."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Thought this would be a more dramatic announcement."

"Well, it is," I said, hugging myself into his side. "That's great. Even if I don't make it in you'll be so much closer."

"You'll make it in," Edward said, nodding. "No doubt."

"I think I will too," I agreed. We paid for our food and walked back outside. "It's the financial aid I'm worried about; that's what screwed me over last time."

"They'll offer more this time."

"Listen to you, Mr. Optimistic," I teased.

"Only way to be."

We returned to my room, where Alice was patiently waiting for the ice cream she'd requested.

"That was quick," she commented, holding out her hands for the treat.

"No line," I said, sitting besides Edward on my bed.

We ate for awhile, making small talk.

"So, tell her," I said.

Alice perked up. "Tell me what?"

"I'll be at NYU next year," Edward said.

"No way!" she cried. "Congrats! That's great news."

Edward nodded, balling up his trash. "Yeah. And Jasper said he's coming here next year too? To get a place with you?"

She nodded, sighing. "That's the plan."

Honestly, things were working out pretty well, even better than I could have anticipated. All that was left was NYU's response to my financial aid request. I'd already decided that even if things didn't work out I'd be content to remain at Hofstra; I'd simply get a single so it would be easier when Edward came over.

But if I was able to transfer, things would be truly perfect.


	66. Pumpkin

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

storyline- "Hayride"

prompt - pumpkin

* * *

On Saturday morning I got up early, way earlier than I should have considering how late I'd been up the night before. After leaving Bella's I'd come home and watched movies until falling asleep.

Bella was, quite simply, all I could think about. I'd never felt quite this way before. I mean, I'd had little infatuations and things. Girls were fascinating; I loved thinking about them.

But with Bella it was different. Besides the obvious – lips, tits and ass - I was obsessed with weird things, like her ears. She had cute ears. And her nose. That was cute too. When she chewed on her pen at school, instead of making me unspeakably hard, it just made her look… cute.

I was caught between begging her to get naked and wanting to have a picnic.

Although, the thought of blending the two really turned me on.

My phone rang as I polished off a bowl of cereal.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is Edward there? Please?"

"It's me… Bella?"

"Hey," she said, sounding relieved.

"Hey yourself," I said, smiling like a goof. "I was just thinking about you…"

"Oh yeah?" Her voice took on a lower note, like she knew just what I was thinking about. "What about?"

"Oh, Bella. You really don't want to know," I sighed, rinsing my bowl in the sink.

She laughed. "I do want to know, because I think I'm beginning to figure you out… but I'll leave it for now. You can show me later."

"Cool," I said, and then coughed because she'd said "show", not "tell". "Bella…"

She was giggling now. "Gotcha."

"You're a bad girl, aren't you? You have the whole town fooled…"

"Anyway," she said, clearing her throat. "I was wondering what you were up to, today. Got plans?"

"Not really. It's a chill day. Why, you wanna hang out?"

"I was thinking of carving pumpkins. For Halloween."

"Sounds good. I have all of the necessary tools."

"You're kidding me."

"Nope." I walked to the cabinet where I got out the carving knives, dishes and stencils. "I live for this. Every year. I used to help my little cousins do it all the time."

"That's awesome! Come over! I'll even make a pumpkin pie… you know. Make it worth your while."

"Bella, I'm just gonna say it: being around you at all makes it worth my while."

She was quiet for a second, and I wondered briefly if I'd ruined what had been a light conversation.

"You are… really sweet, you know that?"

"Mhm," I teased, rolling my eyes.

"I mean it. Now come over here, I got something for ya."

And, lift off. Didn't take much these days.

"I'll be there as soon as I… take a shower."

"Okay," she agreed. "Bye."

"Bye," I echoed, hanging up.

* * *

It looked like she wasn't wearing a bra. Or if she was, it was flimsy.

Or something. Basically, her nipples greeted me the same time she did. Damn, I loved autumn weather.

"Hi," she said, grinning at me from the doorway.

"Hey you," I said, stepping inside. "Where's your dad?"

"Went fishing. He – "

I kissed her. Couldn't help it. Kissed her good, too, sliding my hands to the top of her jeans so I could hold her hips. She locked her hands around my neck, pulling me closer. It felt like she was on tiptoe.

"Sorry," I mumbled after a minute.

"I'm not," she said, her eyes still closed. She pulled me over to the couch and shoved me down, straddling my lap.

Be my guest, Bella. Please, please be my guest.

We made out hornily for awhile. I knew she could feel my stiffy because sometimes she'd shift. If I didn't know any better I'd think she was doing it on purpose. As for me, I kept my hands on her hips…and sometimes her back but always over the shirt. She definitely was not wearing a bra; there was no strap to be felt. Still, I wasn't about to unbutton her shirt and stick my face in, regardless of how tempting the thought was.

And it was really tempting. She smelled fantastic.

"You smell fantastic," I groaned, moving her off my lap. "You give me like 5 woodies a day, I'm not joking."

She smiled, pulling her feet up under her. "You turn me on too, but obviously… it's easier for me to deal with it." She eyed my crotch, her eyes twinkling. "Anyway, ready to carve? I have everything set up in the kitchen."

I chuckled, shaking my head at how easy it was for her to switch gears. "Definitely. "

We walked into the kitchen and there, sitting on the counter by the window like something out of a 1950'scartoon, were two pumpkin pies.

"You've got to be kidding," I muttered, my mouth watering.

"I told you I would, didn't I?" Bella said, pulling out a chair. "Come on, we'll have it later. I want to get this done."

"Yes ma'am," I said, taking a seat next to her. I emptied my "tool box" of pumpkin carving paraphernalia on to the table and tried valiantly to ignore the throbbing in my pants and the watering in my mouth.

Between Bella's pumpkin pie and her…pumpkins, this was going to be an interesting afternoon.


	67. Scarves

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Slippery" ** (this is pretty much the end of this one. i'll do one more, of them during the summer.)_

_prompt - scarves_

* * *

The end of my freshman year came quickly.

It was crazy to think of how much we'd all wanted to escape high school, and now, a year had flow past since then. I was now officially a sophomore.

At NYU.

The letter had come through just a week before.

I smiled, unable to keep the giddiness inside as I packed the last of my things. I'd already sent some of my belongings back home. Rose, who lived in Long Island, had graciously offered to store the things I'd be moving into my new dorm in the city. I'd never need winter coats or scarves back home, so being able to keep them here until I came back made sense. It would make my move back in the fall much easier.

Things were working out almost too perfectly. I kept waiting for something to go wrong. I'd made the mistake of telling Alice that the day before and she'd nearly bitten my head off.

"Don't be negative! Things are going well because they're supposed to go well! Don't attract negativity with your thoughts."

I'd laughed, amused at her fervor. "Okay, Yogi. When's the next meditation class?"

She'd thrown a couple of pillows at my head and that had been the end of that conversation.

Tonight would be our last night in New York. I flew out the following afternoon, back to Phoenix for the summer. The boys were driving Alice back to Nashua. Jasper had helped Edward move back home too, and they were at the moment on their way to spend the night with us.

Alice emerged from the shower, one towel on her body and another wrapped around her hair.

"You can go; I'm done."

I zipped my suitcase and blew my hair out of my face. "Okay. I'm finished with this anyway."

"Good. Hurry. I want to make the most of our last night."

I hustled into the shower and covered the basics: hair washing, leg shaving, exfoliating. I knew Edward and I might be hard-pressed for time along tonight, but I still wanted to look and feel yummy for him. And for me.

I dried my hair and put on a new sundress I'd found in the Village weeks earlier. Paired with sandals, it was the perfect summertime attire.

"Now I definitely need to see you during the warmer months," Edward's voice said, startling me.

I spun around, giving Alice a look. She'd obviously sneaked out to let the boys up when I wasn't paying attention.

"How come I never get to be the one surprising you?" I grumbled to her, walking over to Edward.

"Cuz you're easier to surprise," she said, shrugging.

I gave Edward a quick, sound kiss on his lips before allowing him to envelope me in a really yummy hug.

His nose skimmed my neck, tickling me. "You look great," he whispered.

His voice, his words, never failed to make me feel tingly inside. "Thanks. So do you," I replied, running my hands through his hair once.

"You guys ready? Reservations are at seven thirty," Jasper said, giving me a quick hug.

I loved summertime in New York. Really, I loved every time in New York. I was beyond excited knowing that in a few months I'd be living right in the heart of it, a dream I'd had since I was a kid. The best part was I had the boyfriend to go with it.

"We're going to have so much fun," I said to Edward, squeezing his hand as we walked down the sidewalk behind Alice and Jasper. "I can't wait."

"Me neither," he said, looking around. "This place is crazy. In a good way."

"I'm happy to be going home tomorrow, but… I don't know."

"I know. I'm gonna miss you."

"Me too. So much." I said, swallowing back the lump in my throat. I refused to let sad feelings infringe on such a gorgeous evening

"Being apart for that long sucks. I'm going to come see you, okay? Do you think your parents would be okay with that?"

I grinned up at him, hope and possibilities making me feel weightless and buoyant. "Yes, of course! They know how much you mean to me." I blushed, shaking my head. "When, do you think…?"

"Maybe toward the middle of summer? Like, for July?"

"A month?" I shrieked, covering my mouth as an afterthought.

He shrugged. "Why not? It's not like there's anything to do in Nashua. And even if I can't swing a full month, I'll definitely come for two weeks."

"Sounds good," I said, nodding. "I look forward to it."

Jasper turned around and motioned to the restaurant across the street. The four of us joined the crowd waiting to cross over.

Edward glanced down at me, smiling. "Ready?"

Definitely.


	68. The scent of apples and cinnamon

All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

storyline - "Hayride"

prompt - "the scent of apples and cinnamon..."

* * *

Any fantasies I had about getting down and dirty with Bella were soon squashed when we got just plain old dirty. Nothing like sticking one's hand into pumpkin guts to get one out of the mood.

It was fun though. Bella kept the windows open, and a brisk breeze filtered through the screen. By the time we were finished, we'd completed two traditional jack-o-lanterns plus three smaller ones: a cat's face, a moon, and a tree. Bella seemed pretty impressed by my pumpkin carving skills.

I'd always loved art, though, so it came easily.

"You about ready for that pie?" she asked, standing up.

I nodded, standing up also. "Soon as I wash my hands."

We stood at the kitchen sink, sharing the faucet and the hand soap. I eyed her sideways and she was doing the same, the apples of her cheeks flushed.

I bumped her with my hip. "Thanks for having me over today."

She smiled, nodding. "I…wanted to see you again. I had fun last night – you're easy to be around."

"Is that it?" I teased, looking around for something to dry my hands on.

She tossed me a dishtowel. "That's part of it."

I stepped in front of her, pressing her against the counter with my body. "What's the other part?"

"I might have a little crush on you," she breathed, glancing at my mouth.

"I might have a big one on you, so that works out," I said, ducking down to kiss her. It was impossible not to.

I felt her fingers scratching through my hair. It felt really, really good.

Too good. I pulled back, licking the taste of her off my lips. "I can't even… we should eat pie."

She nodded, and then pulled me back for another kiss, sliding her tongue into my mouth before I could argue. Well, shoot. If she wanted, she was gonna get it.

I held her close, spreading my hands across her back, under her shirt. As tempting as it was to touch her all over, I kept my hands where they were. I mean, even that was a little forward but what could I do? I'd never been so hot for a girl.

This time she pulled away. Her eyes were a little glassy looking. "Jeez... I could kiss you all day," she moaned, shaking her head.

I kissed her neck, licking and sucking at her skin until she pushed me away.

"Pie," she said, panting. I gazed at her nipples, which were now really on display.

"Okay."

* * *

The scent of apples and cinnamon greeted me when I walked in the door.

What was it with the women in my life and baking lately?

Hm. Bella was a woman in my life. I could dig it.

"Edward?"

"Hey Mom." I closed the door behind me and took my shoes off before she could get frisky about it. "Smells great, what is that?"

"Oh, just making a pie for Mrs. Cope. She's been depressed, you know, that thing with her husband."

I frowned. "Thing with her husband?"

Mom waved me off. "Never mind. So, where've you been?"

"Bella's. We were carving pumpkins. And… she made pumpkin pie, so… yeah."

She smiled knowingly. "When do I get to meet Bella?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know Mom."

"You do realize this s the first girl you've brought home since Lauren Mallory in seventh grade?"

"That was for the science fair."

"My point exactly!" She wiped a spot on the counter. "So?"

"So, soon. You'll meet her soon. She's awesome."

"Is she? I'll bet. And so pretty. I saw her at the store with Chief Swan the other night. Gorgeous girl."

Oh man, she didn't even know the half of it.

"Yeah, she's pretty. And she's cool, too."

Mom nodded, smiling. "I'm glad, Edward."

For once, I didn't have anything snarky to say. I was glad too.

* * *

That night, Bella found me online first.

_Hey_

_Hey yourself. Whatcha up to?_

_Reading. U?_

_Nothing really. Any pie left?_

_Haha. No. my dad came home and polished it off_

_:(_

_Stop. U had like 5 pieces_

_It was good. I didn't want to stop_

_I didn't want to stop either_

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to keep myself calm. She was always doing this, teasing me but in a way that was so appealing I completely fell into it. Plus, she wasn't just teasing. I knew there was truth behind the glances and the words.

_There u go again_

_Me? What did I do?_

I chuckled at her feigned innocence.

_Torturing me._

_Lol. U make me sound cruel_

_U r. cruel and heartless_

My phone rang, shrill in its suddenness. I answered it immediately, knowing it was her.

"Hello?"

"I am so not cruel," she said, laughing.

"No, you're not. But you like to tease me," I said, smiling.

"Does that bother you?" she asked, and for a second she really sounded unsure.

"No. I'm just… not used to girls who are as direct as you when they're as cute as you. You're like… the real deal."

She was quiet for a second. "So, that's a good thing."

"A very good thing."

"You're pretty direct yourself, just saying."

"I know," I said. "I'm not used to people using it back on me. I like it."

"I wasn't just teasing you, by the way."

"I… figured. Which is why this is kind of intense. I wish you were here right now. Or I was there."

"It's going to be hard to behave, isn't it?" she asked.

I sighed, closing my eyes. All I saw was Bella.

"Yeah. Probably."


	69. Festival

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Hayride"**_

_prompt - festival_

* * *

"So there's a festival this weekend, in Port Angeles," I said, hooking my foot on the bottom of Bella's chair. "Want to go?"

"Like a date?" she teased.

"Yeah, like a date."

"I'd love to. What day is it? Saturday?"

"Yep. "

"Seems fitting, seeing as we officially met at a festival," Bella said, scribbling something into her notebook.

"Well, yeah," I hedged. "But this is different. It's for _grown _kids."

"Like us."

"Like us," I repeated, giving her a wink.

Class got started so we had to quiet down, but it didn't stop me from checking Bella out every chance I got. She knew how she made me feel, and she'd made it clear I made her feel the same way. Every now and then she'd blush a little and I knew it was because she knew I was watching.

We always sat together at lunch.

Well, we had been doing that anyway because she was friends with Alice but now it was more because she was with me. We hadn't really discussed it or anything; more like we'd fallen into it and were making no move to get out. Bella sat on my side of the table, where I could nudge her by mistake on purpose.

She was wearing a dark blue sweater, kind of low in the front. I was trying to subtly eye her cleavage when I felt a kick. Not a nudge, but a kick from the opposite side of the table. I snapped my eyes away and looked at Jasper, who was smirking at me.

"What's up, man?" I asked, vaguely irritated.

He shook his head and looked briefly at Bella, then back to me. "Just about to ask you the same thing."

I sighed, shaking my head, and crammed my sandwich into my mouth so I wouldn't have to answer.

Alice chose that moment to speak up. "Sooooo… are you guys going to the festival Saturday?"

I glanced at Bella, who turned red and looked down almost guiltily. "Uh, yeah. _We_ were going to go."

"We should all go. Together." Alice continued, nodding as she chewed. It looked like she was eating celery smeared with peanut butter and raisins. Ants on a log, my mother use to call it; leave it to Alice Brandon to eat kid food.

Jasper looked at me again, smiling. "Uh… maybe Edward and Bella wanted to go alone, Ally."

Alice's eyes got really wide. "Shut. Up! Really? Bella, why didn't you tell me?"

Ah, this wasn't awkward. For the love of God.

Bella shrugged. "I don't know… we're just like…"

"Hanging out," I supplied, noting with relish that Bella's blush had spread to her chest.

"Yeah right." Alice smiled knowingly, pointing another piece of celery at Bella. "You're gonna spill it after school, 'kay? Call me." She jumped up and trotted off.

Jasper stood up, laughing quietly as he left. "See you guys."

I twisted so I was facing Bella. "I don't care if people know."

She turned toward me. "Me neither. It's just…"

"There's nothing to tell?"

"Yeah. I mean, it's random. Sort of."

I nodded. "I wouldn't mind going with them to the festival, just so you know. But I'd rather go alone with you."

"Me too," she said, nodding quickly. "I'd much prefer that. We can do double date stuff later."

"Planning ahead?" I asked, inching my chair closer.

She rolled her eyes. "Please. You know you think about it."

"I do," I agreed, tickling my finger along the place where her sweater met her jeans, "think about it..."

She smiled at me, and then popped a grape into my mouth.

"You wanna come over tonight?" I asked. "To study?"

"To study for what?"

"Just…" I let my eyes drift down to her breasts again. "To study. You can stay for dinner."

"Okay," she said, her eyes softening. "Yeah. I'll stop home real quick and then meet you there. I have to make sure it's cool with my dad, too."

"No problem. My mom… wants to officially meet you anyway," I admitted, feeling terribly junior high.

"Really?" Bella asked, looking all happy. Girls were so into that stuff.

"Yup."

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.

* * *

I had just enough time to straighten up my room and talk with my parents for a bit before the doorbell rang.

Mom beat me to the door.

"Hi, Bella! Welcome, come on in," she said, in full on hostess mode.

"Thanks, Mrs. Cullen – "

"Esme is fine, sweetie."

"Oh. Okay. Thanks for having me over, Esme."

I walked into the foyer, where my mother was apparently holding Bella hostage.

"We have some homework to get done before dinner. We'll be down later, okay Mom?"

"No problem; just holler if you need anything," Mom said, smiling.

"Okay."

I turned to Bella. "Hey you."

"Hey," she said, coming closer for a hug.

It had only been an hour or two since school had ended but I had to admit, it felt really good seeing her.

We walked upstairs, chatting. I showed her a couple of the family pictures hanging on the wall, answering her questions about who was who. My mother had always been into ancestry, so there were a lot of preserved, older photographs among the new ones.

And then we were in my room. I shut the door, leaving it unlocked in case my mother decided to "check if we needed anything". Chances were we'd be fine, but she'd be pissed if she tried to get in and the door was locked. Besides, I could hear her coming.

"Alice totally called me as soon as school was out," Bella said, sitting on the side of my bed. "It was like, interrogation time."

"Sounds like Alice," I chuckled. "What did you tell her?"

"The truth. How we started hanging out and all that. She asked if we were together now and I said I guessed maybe we were."

I nodded, thinking about it. If she was down, I was down. Whatever. "Sounds like we're on the same page," I said, sitting beside her.

"Good," she said, inching closer. "So you ready to study?"

I went for it, grabbing her face for a kiss before something interrupted us.

She did this breathy moan exhale thing, putting her hands around my neck and pulling me down so I was half laying over her. It was an awkward angle, so I scooted over and turned, making it easier to kiss her.

Her sweater rode up a little and took the opportunity to flatten my hand on her stomach, enjoying the warmth of her soft skin.

Bella scratched her fingernails through my hair the way she often did and I moved my hand up, sliding steadily toward her bra. She arched up, like she wanted me to.

So I did. I went right over her bra and pushed it down just enough so I could feel her nipple beneath my fingertips.

Her hands tightened in my hair; her breathing got a little rougher. The situation in my pants, well, not even worth discussing. I knew there was no point in fooling around this way because we couldn't just go for it, but it felt too good to stop.

I moved my mouth to her neck, and then pushed her sweater down so I could see what my hand was up to. I glanced up at her and she was watching me, her mouth open just a little. I pulled her bra down a little more and sucked her nipple into my mouth, finally.

_Finally._ Bella's tits – well, one of them – were in my mouth.

Forget pie.


	70. Scream

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Hayride"**_

_prompt - scream_

* * *

The rest of the week was much the same. Either Bella came to my house to "study" or I went to hers. It was easier at my house, because if her dad came home unexpectedly we had to make sure things were as innocent as they appeared.

There would be no more "me and Bella" if the Chief threw me out on my ass.

Bella was so easy to be with. She joked around, but she wasn't silly. She was smart, but not condescending. She was sexy, and I wanted her, but she wasn't slutty. I wanted to respect her – and I did.

After P.E on Friday I was in the locker room when Mike Newton approached me. As usual, he was parading around with his towel tied low on his hips like he was hot stuff. It was funny, actually – especially because there was no one around to see him. I mean, if he was trying to impress someone maybe we needed to drag Jessica Stanley in. Not that I'd torture her that way.

"Hey, Cullen. How's it been?"

"Good," I said, nodding at him. I'd already showered and changed and was ready to go.

"So, um…" He shifted uncomfortably, which, in his little towel, just looked sillier. "You and uh… Bella? You guys together now?"

"Yep."

"Yeah?" He looked impressed. "Man. She's fine."

I grinned at him, picking up my backpack. "I know."

"You guys… you know…?" He made some vaguely obscene gesture I assumed was supposed to signify sex.

"Seriously, Mike?" I laughed incredulously, walking past him.

"So, is that a yes?" he called after me, clueless as ever.

I just ignored him. Like I said, I'D never been one to detail my hook ups. Ever.

And Bella? She was so much more than just a hook up, anyway.

* * *

Bella thought it was hysterical.

"So what didja tell him?" she giggled, popping another Sweet Tart into her mouth. We'd snagged them from my mom's Halloween supply.

"I didn't tell him anything," I scoffed. "Anyway, I'm sure his imagination has us doing way more anyway."

"Ew,"she said, wrinkling up her face.

I laughed, holding out my hand for a piece of candy. "I just thought it was funny he asked at all. I mean, Alice I can see. She's so… "

"Chatty."

"Yeah. All the time. But Mike? He's even worse."

Bella nodded, still snickering. "Well. Let him wonder then."

"I did. I will."

She smiled at me, unbuckling her seatbelt so she could stretch up and kiss my cheek. "Such a gentleman, never kissing and telling."

I inclined my face toward her, accepting the affection for a second. "You better buckle up. There are crazies on the road this time of year."

"There are crazies every time of year, according to my father."

"He's probably right," I said. We'd just entered Port Angeles and I slowed, wanting to make sure we didn't miss the turn off for the festival. It was set up along the waterfront, complete with a warehouse turned haunted house.

"Are you going to freak out?" I teased, elbowing Bella.

She rolled her eyes and shoved me. "Don't start. Mike and Tyler startled me that one time – "

"Startled you? You screamed so loud you probably scared them more than they scared you!"

"Shut up," she laughed, letting me put my arm around her. "You just get off on harassing me."

"That's true." I bent down and nipped her ear, holding her tight to my side so she couldn't get away.

She shivered, angling her head away. "Come on. We'll have time for that later."

Bella was made for me, I swear.

* * *

We stumbled out of the haunted house, jacked up on adrenaline.

I had to admit, they'd done an excellent job. Bella _did_ scream… I almost did myself.

She was flushed and breathless, her hair a little wild. "That was crazy!"

"Yeah, it was. I almost pissed my pants."

She grinned at that, snuggling against me. "So what next?"

"Cider? Cotton Candy?"

"Corn dogs… fried waffles… fried Twinkies?" Bella read. "Gross."

"Hey. Don't knock it 'till you've tried it."

"Have you had fried Twinkies? It sounds like a heart attack waiting to happen."

I shrugged. "Yeah, I've had 'em."

"Was it good?"

"It was okay. I was like, seven. I ate all kinds of crap back then."

She made a face. "I don't think I want to try it."

"Then don't," I laughed, tugging her hair. "But let's get something; I'm starving."

We ended up getting roasted nuts and hot dogs, and then candy apples. I'd always like those, especially the ones with chocolate drizzled over the caramel.

Bella looked even more edible than usual with sweet stuff all over her lips and chin and I told her so.

"You're silly," she said, but I could tell she liked when I said stuff like that.

We wandered over to an empty bench and sat down while we ate.

And then we were kissing, the sticky remnants of of candy apple on the table next to us.

"You do taste really good right now," she murmured, licking my bottom lip.

"Hmm." I closed my eyes, horny and half drunk by the smell and taste of sugary Bella.

"I love your eyes," she said suddenly.

I opened them and looked at her, surprised. "Yeah?"

She nodded, looking all shy. She was so funny like that, being gutsy and then pulling back.

"Thanks," I said, scooting closer to her. I kissed her neck, just a little because we were in public and I'd already noticed couple of glances. "I like your everything…"

"You're such a guy," she whisper-laughed, cringing away at the same time she pulled me closer.

"Would you rather I be such a girl?"

"No." Her eyes looked mischievous. Maybe it was just the way the light was hitting them.

"You know, you've got really pretty eyes too."

"Psh, whatever. They're just brown."

"So?" I gave her the side-eye. "Is this when you fish for compliments and I –"

"Shush," she cried, grabbing my face. "No. I'm just saying I never saw them as special, that's all. But… thanks."

I kissed her again, caught between needing privacy and needing her now.

"Wanna go?" I asked, staring as she licked her lip.

"Yeah."

We looked at each other and I just knew it was going to be different this time.

"Edward?"

I glanced at her as I unlocked the doors.

"I love being with you."

Crazy, but her words clawed their way inside and grabbed me. Hard.

I nodded, taking a deep breath. "I love being with you too, Bella."


	71. Trick or Treat

_ All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - "hayride"_

_prompt - "Trick or Treat"_

* * *

No one was home when we got back to my house.

This was good. I wasn't sure what we were going to do but if Bella was on the same wavelength as me – and she usually was – we needed to be alone right now.

I was suddenly really thirsty.

"Want anything?" I asked, looking inside the fridge.

"Sure…water's fine actually. All that sugar and salt made me kind of thirsty," she said.

"Me too." I got us each a bottle of water and we headed up to my room.

"So, you plan on trick or treating this year?" I asked, grinning.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Yeah right."

"So what are your plans?"

"I don't know; what are you doing?"

"I'll probably stick around here, help give out candy," I said, shrugging. "Rosalie Hale usually throws a huge party for Halloween but she's got pneumonia or something."

"Oh, that sucks." She grimaced, sipping her water.

"Yeah, it does. She's been sick for awhile. Anyway, you can come over if you want… I bet your dad's working, isn't it he?"

"How'd you know?"

"Halloween, man. I know some kids like to make mischief…"

"Were you one of those kids?"

I shrugged, but I smiled because I so had been.

"Don't tell me you used to egg people's cars and stuff, TP their yards…"

"Sounds like you know a thing or two yourself," I said, pulling her down on to the bed.

"I never participated," she laughed. "But yeah, I've seen stuff."

"So you'll come over?"

Bella nodded. "I will. Thanks. I hope your parents don't get sick of me."

I finished my water and set the bottle aside to I could lie down. "Never. My mother loves you."

"Good." She lay beside me, toeing her sneakers off.

I ran my finger down the front of her shirt, stopping when the neckline prevented me from going any further.

Bella rolled toward me and scooted closer, leaning in for a kiss.

The whole day had been one long flirt fest. I felt like I was going to explode. I rolled toward her and onto her, kissing her and pushing my hips against hers.

She moaned quietly – she always did; it was usually my undoing – and ran her fingers through my hair.

I had never kissed anyone as much as I'd kissed Bella. We spent hours in each other's mouths. I loved her tongue, and her neck, and most especially her breasts.

I wished she'd put on a button down but she hadn't. Rolling to her side, I started pulling her shirt up, wanting her to get the hint. She reached down and helped peel it off, leaving her in just her bra and jeans.

"Can I take these off?" I asked, playing my hand around the button to her pants.

She nodded, her eyes still closed as I sucked on her ear lobe.

I didn't think she would, but I didn't want her to change her mind. I yanked those suckers off with a quickness and tossed them behind me.

Wow. Bella's body was bangin'. She looked really, really good. I immediately went for her stomach, kissing it and running my tongue along her belly button. She gasped and arched up, grabbing my face.

We kissed again and then she was urging my shirt up and over my head. I took my jeans off and fell onto her, obsessed with the feel of her skin against mine. So soft.

I pushed against her, obviously no longer apprehensive about her feeling my dick, and she wrapped her legs around me. We fooled around like that for a minute, acting like we were screwing with our underwear on. As soon as I shifted back she grabbed me through my boxers and started rubbing her palm up and down. I bucked involuntarily against her, not wanting the friction. Needing it.

Then she reached into my boxers and wrapped her hand around my dick.

That was it. It was as if we'd discussed it. I rolled on to my back as she sat up, gripping me harder.

"Take off your bra," I panted, needed the fantasy to be complete.

It hurt when she let go, but only for a second because then her hands were back and her perfect tits were in my face. I didn't think after that. She worked me over until I came; pulsing all over the bed – nothing new there, except it was Bella's hands and not mine.

"Don't move," I breathed, jumping up. I did a quick check down the hallway to make sure it was clear before going to the bathroom.

Bella was right where I left her, her hand scraping lazily across her belly.

"Was that okay?" she asked, her face turning red.

"Okay?" I repeated, getting on top of her.

She squealed as I tickled her. I rubbed my chin against her cheek and then pulled her bra down to ravage her nipples. She sighed and wrapped her legs around me but I inched down further until I was staring at her underwear. She squirmed a little bit, closing her legs but obviously that didn't work because I was between them.

Before she could make up some excuse about whatever I hooked my finger into her panties and moved them aside. And nearly came on the bed again. Because seriously? Bella? Any time, any place, anyway.

She came pretty fast, even faster than I had. And then, when she tried to push my face away I went down on her some more until she started kind of writhing as she came again.

"Stop," she moaned, pulling me up by my ears.

I let her bring me face to face and brought the comforter up over us because it was cold now that we'd stopped moving. She gazed up at me, her cheeks flushed but for a different reason this time.

"Trick or treat," I teased, biting on her lip."Was_ that _okay?"

"Shut up," she murmured, kissing me.


	72. Slash

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Hayride"**_

_prompt - slash_

* * *

I hadn't anticipated going as far with Bella as I had. Coming back to my house I knew we'd fool around, and probably more heavily than we had been, but when the time came I couldn't help myself.

I liked her, a lot. I wanted to do things to her, to devour her, in every way possible.

And you know what? I don't think she minded.

Bella stretched beside me, back in her underwear. I had mine on too. That way, if either of my parents came home unexpectedly, we could easily just slip into our clothes.

"I'm sort of sleepy now," she said, covering a yawn.

"Go to sleep," I said, patting the pillow she was resting on.

"No, that's okay. I want to hang out."

I smiled, knowing just how she felt. "Yeah, me too."

She watched me, trailing her thumb around my mouth.

"I always knew we'd be together."

My stomach tightened. "Really?"

"Yeah. I'd see you around school… especially when you didn't think I saw you watching me and I thought you were so cute. Definitely my type."

"So why didn't you say anything?"

"Me?" she scoffed. "Why didn't you? And anyway, wasn't I the one to get into the truck that day of the hayrides?"

Damn, she had me there and she knew it. She smiled knowingly at me and I smiled back, unable to hold back around her. "Yeah… I would have asked you out eventually. I was feeling you out I guess."

"And now you're just…feeling me," she teased, leaning in to kiss me.

I pulled her on top of me, enjoying the feel of her body against mine. Her skin was so soft – I thought it every time – and I moved her up a little so her boobs were in my face. I breathed her in; blowing and sucking on the fleshy parts, making her giggle and shove at me.

"You're so ridiculous," she snorted, tightening her legs around me as I nibbled at the area just covered by her bra.

"I'm ridiculous for you," I said, laying it on extra thick to mess with her.

She twisted away and moved back down so we were face to face and kissed me again.

* * *

After getting dressed, we went downstairs to watch Halloween movies on TV.

Not surprisingly, Bella liked slasher movies as much as I did. The more I learned about her, the more I saw we had n common.

We were half way through Friday the 13th part something when she started snickering, quietly at first, but then loudly.

"What?" I asked, starting to laugh a little myself.

She set down her bowl of popcorn and shook her head. "It's just so cheesy; I love it."

"For someone who got so freaked out at the haunted house you sure are unaffected by scary movies," I commented, popping open a soda.

"I know, right?" She wiped her eyes, calming down. "I guess it's because this is so unbelievable. It's completely different when there really are things jumping out at you."

I nodded, because that was true, and put my head in her lap.

We continued our movie marathon well into the evening. My mom finally came home, and she was happy to see Bella – like I knew she'd be.

"Hey, guys," she said, standing in the doorway. "You staying for dinner again, Bella? We'd love you to."

I felt Bella shrug above me. "Sure. Thanks, Esme."

"And we'll send you home with food for your father. Don't you even worry about it," Mom continued, her voice fading as she returned to the kitchen.

"She's so nice," Bella said, sighing. "Makes me miss my mom."

I twisted around so I was facing up, wanting to see her face. "Do you speak to her a lot?"

"Oh, yeah. All the time. It's just… I don't know. A lot of stuff changed last summer. I wanted to get out of Phoenix."

"What happened?"

"Well, I broke up with Peter for one thing. He didn't like that…"

"He wasn't violent or anything was he?"

"No…"

"Weirdo? Crank calls? Slash your tires? Leave mean notes your locker?"

"No, no. Nothing like that. Just, like, we have a lot of the same friends and everywhere we'd go he'd be there all sullen and pouty. And I mean, I know it hurts, but things had run their course. And then he started dating one of my best friends and that was really lame. Like, I know I had no right to say anything, but there are certain things you just don't do," Bella said.

"Yeah, that sounds kind of shady," I agreed, frowning. I tended to be picky about my own friends, but the ones I had – like Jasper – were good people.

"It was. So there was like, tension in the group… most people sided with me but I didn't even want it to come to that, and then after all that my Mom's boyfriend moved in and he's nice but ew. I so did not want to watch the two of them… ew. You know."

I chuckled, reaching up to touch her hair. "So you moved here."

"Yeah. I used to spend summers here a lot as a kid, or sometimes my Dad would try to visit me in Phoenix. Anyway, I figured it was a good a time as any, especially since I'm going to college next year. I always knew I'd go to school out here and now I'm a resident so it'll be a lot cheaper."

"Smart thinking," I said. "I'm glad you moved here."

She grinned down at me. "Me too."

We stared at one another for awhile, smiling and lovesick. It was pretty awesome.

"Hey Bella."

She raised her eyebrows.

"I can see up your nose."

She grabbed a pillow and pretended to smother me with it. I wrenched it away and wrestled her to her side, tickling her viciously.

"Stop it!" she squealed, squirming beneath me in ways that were starting to get me a little aroused. "What is it with boys and tickling?"

I let go and got on my side, sandwiching Bella between me and the couch. "It's just an excuse to have my hands all over you," I said quietly, pushing my hard on against her.

Her eyes closed into slits, and she bit her lip.

"Lucky for you, I'm all about that," she said, wiggling one finger down my pants.

* * *

_i know you naughty things thought of one thing and one thing only when you saw today's prompt. ha! didn't exactly fit in with this plot though._

_another one coming later. xo_


	73. Poltergeist

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Hayride"**_

_prompt - polergeist_

* * *

Sometime later I felt myself being shaken awake.

"Edward. Edward!"

I looked up, bleary and confused. "Huh?"

"You two have been passed out for hours!" Mom stood above me in her bathrobe, yawning. "Does Bella have a curfew?"

"Shoot," I said, sitting up.

My mother shuffled away, reminding me to lock up after bringing Bella home.

We'd fallen asleep on the couch after dinner, having returned to our horror movie marathon. I glanced at the TV. Apparently Poltergeist was on; I didn't even remember it starting. We really had been sleeping awhile.

"Bella," I said, shaking her.

She mumbled and turned away.

"Bella. Come on. It's late; I gotta bring you home."

She opened her eyes, squinting in the dim light. "Um… what time is it?"

I reached into my pocket and checked my phone. "Like… quarter to one."

"Oh. Yeah, I'd better get going."

"Will your dad be pissed?"

She shook her head. "I don't have a curfew, but he likes to know where I am. In this case he knew I was going to be with you all day…although we didn't know it would go so late…"

We put our shoes and jackets on and made our way outside. It was pretty chilly out, and a damp wind blew from the east, making me shiver. A couple of people had Halloween lights up on their street, flickering creepily in the shadows. It definitely added to ghoulish atmosphere.

Yeah, watching hours of creepiness on the boob tube had definitely done a number on my brain.

Bella yawned repeatedly on the way home. "I don't know why I'm so exhausted," she said finally. "I'm always up late."

"We had a pretty… active day," I said, smiling in the dark.

I could almost hear her blushing. "Yeah we did."

"I have to do some stuff with my Dad tomorrow but… do you want to come over again?" I asked, already planning how I could get Bella back into my arms…and my bed.

"I'd love to, but I should probably spend some time with my Dad. He has tomorrow off for once so we were going to get some grocery shopping done, watch a few games on TV… that kind of thing," Bella said, sounding apologetic.

"That's cool," I said sincerely. It couldn't be easy for her dad, working all the time and leaving his daughter to her own devices.

"Well… I was gonna say if you want you're welcome to come for dinner. I'm probably making lasagna."

"I'll be there," I promised, pulling up to her curb.

"Okay, cool." She smiled and leaned over the console to kiss me.

I accepted the kiss, but then jumped out to walk Bella to the door. She smiled, rolling her eyes as we walked.

"What?" I asked. "It's creepy out here – I can't let you walk alone."

"No more movies for you," she teased, standing beneath her porch light and searching for her key.

"You're telling me you didn't find it creepy out?"

"Yeah, I sort of do. But are you telling me all those scary movies don't have you on edge?" she shot back, unlocking the door.

I laughed. "Yeah, yeah…"

"Well, me too. Kind of," she said, giving me a quick kiss as she tried to back her way inside.

"That's it?" I asked, pulling her back for more.

We kissed for a second, and then another cold wind blew. This time Bella was the one shivering.

"Go, get inside," I said, giving her a small shove. "Call me tomorrow?"

"For sure," she said, ducking in the door. "Bye…"

I waited until I heard the lock turning and saw a light go on before jogging back down the steps to my car, holding my jacket tight against me.

It was definitely a spooky night; every shadow seemed alive and every rustle of leaves was a whisper.

I jumped into the car and turned the heat up. And locked the doors.

No more thrillers for me, thanks.

* * *

_yeah, super short. but like bella, i am tired! ;)_

_xo_

_p.s __l'll be taking a break from writing witfits come the end of october. i'll resume after a couple of months; i've been writing these almost nonstop for a year and i need to recoup. starry eyed/sparkle inside will still update tuesday/wednesdays though. _


	74. Haunted

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline - **"Hayride"**_

_prompt - haunted_

* * *

Dinner at Bella's wasn't as awkward as I'd anticipated. I'd imagined lots of stilted conversation and loaded silence but it was nothing like that. Bella and I talked the way we always did – minus the innuendo – and her father put his two cents in when he felt like it.

I did my best to be myself. Like Bella, Charlie's BS detector was pretty sharp. I mean, part of the man's job was to be able to tell when criminals were lying and stuff. If there was one thing that would make me look bad in his eyes it would probably be acting fake.

Bella was, it turned out, a fantastic cook. She said there were really only a few dishes she was good at making but I suspected she was being modest. The lasagna, salad and garlic bread were mouth watering.

"Almost as mouth watering as you," I told her later, when we went for a walk around her neighborhood.

She glanced up at me, already laughing. "Easy, cheesy."

"What? It's true," I protested, knowing it was in fact cheesy and also that she liked it.

"Well, I'm glad you feel that way," she said, slipping her arm through mine. "So listen…"

I inclined my head toward her.

"I was thinking we should dress up tomorrow. While giving out candy."

I shrugged. "We could do that. I have an old Dracula costume I usually wear."

"Really? I have the vampire queen costume _I _wore _last_ year!"

"That's awesome," I chuckled, once again marveling at how perfect we were for one another. "We'll make the perfect couple."

"We already do," she said quietly.

I could see from the corner of my eye that she was looking straight ahead. Slowing down, I pulled her close so we were face to face and kissed her lightly on the mouth.

"Couldn't agree more," I said, closing my eyes when she kissed my cheek.

A car drove past, startling up a gust of leaves. I stepped away from Bella, taking her hand. "Want to go for a drive?"

She smiled slyly, reading me like a book. "Sure."

* * *

I wasn't sure where exactly to go. Both my parents and Bella's were home, so forget that. Also, the meadow I wanted to show Bella would be beautiful in the daytime but right now, at twilight? It would feel creepy and haunted, all secluded in the middle of the woods. I'd seen the Blair Witch Project, thanks. I didn't need to have a real life reenactment.

"Where should we go?" I asked finally. We'd just left the city limits after a couple of drives through town.

"I don't know; let's just drive," she said, taking my hand.

Nodding, I used our clasped hands to turn the radio on, making Bella snicker quietly, and then continued on down the dark road.

Eventually we came to Lake Crescent. I hadn't been there in quite some time but I knew there were campgrounds and lodges scattered sporadically around. It was perfect: not too isolated, not too busy. I pulled up and parked as close as I could to the lake's edge.

It was a cold, clear night, and the moon shone directly down, reflected in the water.

"Have you been out here yet?" I asked, scooting my chair back so I could stretch a little.

"Not yet," Bella said.

"We'll have to come back during the day; there are all sorts of hiking trails, even waterfalls. It's really nice, especially at this time of year with the leaves changing and all that."

"I'd love that," she said, taking her seat belt off so she could curl up on her side.

"There are cabins, too," I said, poking her side with my finger.

She smiled, her teeth looking white in the dark. "One track mind."

"Yep."

"But technically, we don't need a cabin," she continued, coming closer.

After a moment of bumping around and uncomfortable climbing she ended up on my lap. I reached the lever below my seat and pushed it back even more to give us room. Then I reclined.

We eased back. Bella leaned down and kissed me. Her cheeks were still kind of cool but her mouth was warm and soft. I slipped my tongue into her mouth, 100% ready for action, right here, right now.

She kissed me back just as deeply, moving her hips in a way that made me wish we were naked.

"Sometimes… rangers check these areas…" I panted, going for her neck. "You know… just… look out."

"Oh now you tell me," she breathed back, arching back so I could get at her neck.

"Since we're dressing as vampires tomorrow, I'm gonna give you a little bite," I warned, running my teeth against the skin on her neck.

"Don't you dare," she scolded, bringing her face back down to mine.

We made out desperately for awhile. I cupped her ass in my hands, thinking about how good she'd looked naked in my bed.

I reached between us and unzipped her pants, trying to get some leeway, but her jeans were too tight. Especially at this angle.

"Ugh," I groaned, frustrated.

"I know, but just… wait until tomorrow," she whispered, licking my ear.

I shivered, still annoyed but now hopeful. "Tomorrow?"

"Yeah. We can… you know. I want you."

Well, instead of calming me down I just about blew the hell up. "Get in the backseat."

"What? No! I'm not having sex in the car, especially when Ranger Rick could come wandering up at any time."

"We're not having sex," I said. "Just… get in the back, Bella!"

She frowned at me and then climbed off, switching into the back seat.

I was beside her in an instant, unzipping her pants and working them down her thighs. "Wear a skirt next time," I teased.

"You wear a skirt in this weather and then maybe I will," she argued, but her voice was a little shaky because I'd just put my hand inside her underwear.

I kissed her again and she kissed me back, her mouth wet and open and sweet. I touched her over and over; loving how she felt on my fingers, knowing I'd be feeling her other places soon, too.

After a couple of minutes she started gripping my jacket. Her kisses and breathing lost their rhythm.

The sounds she made… Ranger Rick be damned. I was ready to risk it all.

But we didn't. That could wait til Halloween.


	75. Devoured

_All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization._

_storyline -** "Hayride"** (last chapter)_

_prompt - devoured_

* * *

The next week at school was pretty much a goof off week. We did stuff, but everyone was thinking about Halloween, and the festivities the weekend would bring.

Eric Yorkie had decided to throw a party on Saturday night since Halloween was a Sunday and we wouldn't be doing much anyway. It wasn't that big of a deal; everyone showed up and hung out, listening to music and drinking illicit alcohol they smuggled in.

A lot of people were in costume, including Bella and me. By this time everyone knew we were a couple; we sat together at lunch, studied together during free period, and waked the halls together, often holding hands. I hadn't quite realized it before, but I guess I'd had something of a rep for being a loner. Like, people knew I got chicks, but I was quiet about it.

Which is what I'd always intended.

It really is different when you meet your match though. Nothing else matters, as in what people think. Bella and I fell into things so easily; it just made sense.

Her costume was classic; she'd gone the traditional route instead of the slutty one. Not that I'd have minded her in some skimpy little get up… but it just proved once again how down to earth she was. She was sexy without having to broadcast it. I dug it.

We drank a little, nothing major; getting the chief of police's daughter wasted wasn't really something I wanted to try.

Getting her naked though? That was a different story.

On Sunday Bella came over early, with a pumpkin pie to eat after dinner. We had an early dinner with my parents, and then got into costume. Normally we all took turns listening for the doorbell and whoever was nearest would answer the trick or treaters.

Tonight was different though. Since Bella and I were taking over candy duties my parents were retiring upstairs to watch TV for the evening.

"Do you have everything you need?" Mom asked, yawning as she picked through the candy.

"Yeah, we'll be fine. We'll just give it out until it's gone, and then we'll turn out the light," I said.

Dad appeared, a bowl of popcorn in his arms. "All right. Have fun. Good night, Bella."

"Good night, Carlisle," she said, watching my mom and dad retreat upstairs.

The trick or treating was sporadic at first. We grabbed a couple of sodas and goofed around, looking for stuff to watch on the television in the living room. Bella insisted we take pictures and so we did. I copped a feel and she pretended to stop me, pushing me back on to the couch and falling on top of me.

Eventually, though, the doorbell was ringing almost nonstop. For a town so small, you'd never know so many kids lived here. We set up chairs by the door and waited, candy in hand.

A couple times we got kids who looked way too old to be trick or treating. They only got one candy.

"You want to sit on the porch?" I asked, once the frenzy had died down. It was close to eleven.

"Sure. Let me grab my jacket."

"Not very vampy," I said, getting a jacket for myself, too.

We took the nearly empty bowl of treats on to the porch with a blanket and sat on the steps. When no one appeared after a good fifteen or twenty minutes we started eating the mini Snickers and Twix bars. I always insisted we give out the good stuff on Halloween.

"I'm glad I met you," Bella said suddenly, giving me a smile. She had caramel stuck in her teeth.

"Me too. It's gonna be a good year," I said, kissing her cheek.

She nodded, feeding me chocolate.

"Do you have to go soon?" I asked.

She nodded, glancing at her phone. "Yeah. I'm gonna be a zombie tomorrow if I don't at least try and get some sleep."

"I don't know why they didn't just give us Monday off," I said.

"I know," she sighed, standing up.

I took one last look down the street and decided to just call it a night. Kids shouldn't be out this late, anyway. We went back inside and turned the porch light off.

I watched Bella as she moved around the kitchen, putting what little candy was left away. I was tired of waiting.

"C'mere," I said, pulling her toward the living room.

She followed willingly, and I knew she knew what I was thinking.

I sat on the couch, one of our favorite spots apparently, and pulled her on to my lap. She leaned down to kiss me right away and held her hips down tight against me, wanting her even more now that I knew she wanted me, too.

The kissing bypassed the usual sweet n' slow stuff. Bella rocked against me and I pushed up against her, needing to feel more of her but also for her to make the move. As much as I wanted her, I didn't want her thinking that was all I wanted.

But time passed, and I almost didn't care because Bella felt so good in my arms, on top of me. I loved her mouth, how her tongue moved with mine.

"Bella," I whispered eventually. My hands had been up her skirt for some time now, alternating between resting on her ass and playing with the edge of her underwear.

"What?" she whispered back, sucking on my neck like a lady vamp would.

"Do you want to…?"

She pulled back to look at me.

"What, here?"

"Yeah."

"Do you think it's too soon?" she asked.

I paused. "Maybe… I don't know. We don't have to…" I pulled her face back to mine and kissed her again.

"Maybe it's too soon but I really like you, Edward," she breathed. "I want to be with you."

"I want to be with you too," I said, and I really did. Physically, but also in general. She was perfect for me.

"Good," she said. I could hear the smile in her voice.

Shifting up a little, I reached into the jeans I was wearing beneath my Dracula costume and yanked my wallet out. I got a condom and tossed the wallet aside.

Bella got off my lap and took her panties off, watching as I opened my cape and unzipped my jeans.

This was really happening. We were going to screw, on my parent's sofa, on Halloween, in costume. Not exactly a story to tell the grandkids but one to relive later for sure.

Once I was situated Bella got back on my lap and the kissing resumed. I want to say it was sweet and romantic but I damn near devoured her, messing up her makeup and probably her hair in my horniness. Right when her rubbing against me was about to make me beg for mercy and rose up and sank onto my dick.

I moaned lowly, glad my parents usually fell asleep with the TV on in their room.

Bella's mouth fell open, her mouth still blood red despite the fact I'd eaten most of her lipstick off.

Speechlessly we came back together, kissing, our hands in each other's hair as I thrust up into her and she ground down in to me, hard. I reached down to touch her, wanting to make sure she got hers because I knew I was gonna come fast. No making love til the break of dawn crap; I'd been wanting her way too long to last.

The second my fingers made contact with her she groaned and pushed harder, rolling her hips over and over. I loved how she sounded, her voice, her moans.

"Yeah," she whispered, moving faster when I pushed up harder. Finally I couldn't take it and I came. It felt amazing.

"Don't – wait – yes—" she mumbled, seizing on top of me, hardly moving against my hand before collapsing against me.

We stayed that way for awhile, panting. Finally Bella straightened up.

Before she could climb off I opened her shirt and pushed my face in to her tits and kissed them properly.

She laughed quietly, holding my head.

"Best Halloween ever," I sighed, licking at her nipple. "Be mine, Bella. Please be mine, always."

She tilted my face back and kissed me again. "That's Valentine's, silly."

"So is that a yes?"

"Yes."

* * *

_and that's the end! (and before anyone says it, yes they are so bad for doing it on the couch with the parents upstairs! the nerve! )_

_i will resume witfits in january. 2 months off for me, kind off. starry eyed inside will continue to post weekly and maybe even twice a week if i'm feeling frisky. love you guys! eat lots of chocolate tomorrow! i know i will..._


End file.
